The Gathering of the Legends Book 4: Ending of an Era Vol I
by LegendsGuardian
Summary: Book 4 in the TGOL series. The warning is simple: the Future is in great peril. However, the way the Ronin receive this message is anything but. If their lives weren't complicated before they certainly are now. That is the least of their problems, as they are all too soon to find out. Will they be capable of making the sacrifice needed to reset the Future's course?
1. PROLOGUE

_A/N: Well, this is probably a lack of better judgement on my part. But in light of the fact that: I keep getting messages about it, authors who have long been MIA are returning to updating, and this thing has been sitting on a computer for five years it's past time to put it up. Welcome to Book 4 in the TGOL series, thanks to my faithful readers who have stuck with the story & my sistah Sifirela K. Hashiba (because she had a big hand in this messy book here whether she knows it or not).  
Hang on folks, you are in for a ride!  
-LG_**  
**

* * *

**Prologue:**

She pursed her lips together in thought, trying to wrack her brain for an answer to the current riddle. Mia's eyes were slanted as she tried to think of someone she could contact to gather the information she currently found herself in need of. Try as she might, the brilliant woman was drawing a blank and it was frustrating her to no end.

Then, as if someone had turned on a light-bulb, the answer came to her and she knew who she could call. One of her brothers _had_ to know, there was no way they would let her down…They never had before.

Mia quickly dialed the all-too familiar number and waited a bit breathlessly for someone to pick up the other end.

"Hello?" Ryo queried sounding a bit worn out, most likely just having come in from a training session.

Mia inwardly let out a sigh of relief, "Hi, Ryo. How are you doing?"

"Mi, hey!" the Ronin Leader seemed to brighten at hearing her voice. "I'm all right; this place is not as much as a zoo as it has been in the past. But I'm still stuck with the monkeys." All of a sudden he let out an 'ow' and the woman bit down a laugh when he whined to Cale for smacking him in the back of the head. "How are you holding up?"

She knew that it was in reference to the fact her long-time boyfriend, or fiancé had ended up being quite different from the man she had thought he was. It had resulted in her breaking off their engagement in January and telling him to stay away from her…That she never wanted to see him again.

He had tried to remedy the situation, but there were a lot of things Mia happened to be, and stupid was not one of them. It had been a bit of a blow to her, but she had recovered…If not from a little care from a certain Spring Seasonal who took the chance to visit her whenever he could (which was quite often now). But all of these things did not happen to be on the forefront of her mind right now.

There were far more important things on her mind, and she wanted information which she was going to get. Mia had picked up plenty from her five younger brothers, and the stubborn determination happened to be one of those things.

"I'm perfectly fine Ryo," she assured him. "I'm glad to hear that you are well, and I'm assuming the others are fine too?" He answered that they were, and Mia decided to go right in for the kill, "I wanted to ask someone something, and you're the right person. Have you heard from Elayne?"

This request took him a little off-guard, as he did not immediately respond. When he did he spoke with a bit of hesitation in his voice, "I haven't. I know she's been working a lot lately, but that's mainly to avoid us."

"Avoid you?" Mia's furrowed her brows in confusion, from what she knew of Elayne, and she happened to know a great deal, there would be no reason for her to do such a thing. "What on earth for?"

Ryo bit his lip a moment, sucked in a breath knowing he shouldn't have opened this can of worms…But now that he had, he had little choice but to tell her everything, "I don't how aware you are of just how far our current problem spans…"

"The Raikken and Akemliek? From all the data I have I know this is a reoccurring problem. That you've fought this before."

"We have," the Ronin of Wildfire admitted. "We're stuck living a life, and fighting a war that's been going on far longer than we realized. Over three-thousand years to put it into perspective."

Mia surprised him with her response, "I know, Ryo. Anubis told me quite a bit…" Realizing she just gave that to him, she hastily added, "He visits here sometimes. But what does any of it have to do with Elayne avoiding you?"

"She's the Secondary Guardian, Mia," Wildfire's bearer was inwardly smirking. So _that's_ where the Spring Seasonal kept spending his weekends…Fuel for the fire, or payback. He was quick to focus back on the conversation, when she said Anubis had mentioned that also. "He didn't tell you that all of us have our memories back, did he? We remember everything from the first and second lifetime."

"I see, she just couldn't handle it," the woman murmured out frowning. "Still, Ryo, when was the last time you talked to her?"

"Three days after she bailed," the Ronin Leader sighed out. "I called her to check on her, she answered said she was fine, and then hung up before I could get a word in edgewise."

"Ryo-"

"Come on Nas-chan," the raven-haired man protested into the phone. "I've gone to the apartment several times since then. She hasn't been there, and if she is she's ignoring me completely."

Mia rolled her eyes and counted backwards from ten, and interrupted before he could make a case to defend himself, "Ryo, calm down. I was just going to tell you why I am calling asking about her. She was supposed to come by two days ago, and she never showed."

The woman waited for this to sink in, already certain that the Ronin of Wildfire's eyes had widened and that he was grasping whatever happened to be nearby for balance, "She _always_ calls me if she can't make it. And, I can't find her anywhere. I've called her job, the apartment, the Estate, and now I'm calling here."

"Don't worry about it Mia, we'll find her," Ryo assured her before exchanging goodbyes and hanging up the phone.

The Ronin Leader was frowning in thought…Whenever the Secondary Guardian fell off the radar like this it had _never_ been a good thing.

He quickly turned to walk into the living room, and with the way her emotional state had been when he last spoke with her?

He didn't want to think about what could have happened…


	2. Chapter 1: JUNE 1997

**Chapter One**

**Written: April 2008**

**Typed Up: May 12, 2008**

**June 1997**

The Ronin of Wildfire had a deep frown on his face as he walked into the living room, and all those who had been talking immediately stopped picking up on his mood.

"What's wrong Ryo?" the Ronin of Trust queried, not liking what he happened to be sensing.

Ryo sighed through his nose, "That was Mia on the phone."

"Bad news?" Sekhmet queried as he tried to think of what it might be. "Should we call for the others?" 'Others' as in Rowen, Sage, Anubis and Cale who happened to be out…_Somewhere_…The two Ronin Elementals were probably just getting out of class, and who knew where the Seasons were?

"No, I don't want to panic them," the Ronin of Wildfire shook his head. "She wanted to know if we had seen or heard from Elayne. Apparently, miss prompt didn't show up when she was supposed to."

Kento was immediately on his feet now, eyes narrowed, "What?"

"Don't get excited just yet, Shuu, let him finish," the white-haired Summer Seasonal urged, ignoring the dirty-look he got. "Continue, please."

"I know the Senshi haven't had any contact with her either, because I asked," Ryo went on. "Mia can't find her anywhere. She's worried something might have happened to her."

"Mia's worries are real ones," Kayura brought in having come in from outside. "Let's not forget what _normally _happens when Uni pops off the radar. Any ideas?"

"I'm going to go check out the apartment to see if she's there. If she is, well," the Ronin Leader announced to them. "It might be nothing, but if it is she might be a little more willing to tolerate me. I've had my memories back longest."

Kento gave his leader a smug look, "You just want to play the hero and sweep your girl off her feet, spare us."

"Shuu!" the Ronin Leader's ears went bright red, and they all proceeded to laugh at him. Ryo let out an annoyed growl, grabbed his car keys and left the house.

* * *

Honestly, why did he tolerate all of them still? He gave a roll of his vivid-blue eyes, some days he wondered other days he did not bother. He was rather aware of the fact that if he dwelt on it, he'd come up with a whole variety of excuses as to why he needed to run away and _never_ look back.

Oh well, it was nice to dream at any rate. Ryo parked and got out of the car, really using that thing was simply a formality. With everyone remembering the past, it meant they were aware of the abilities they had forgotten…Meaning he could now use his own without fear of triggering something in the others.

It had taken them so long to remember though, the Ronin of Wildfire's mind griped. Never before had he been forced to wait so long for the others to recall the past lives. Normally when one remembered, the others did within a month. This time it had taken around six months, a little over maybe.

Really, once they remembered the past lives, or the knowledge to gain them back it always became an issue for those without memory. Such a consequence should have been negated after all this time; in the end once full memory returned things turned out all right. They didn't pick up where they had left off, but continued with the current life just with full knowledge of the past ones.

That should have been the end of it. But, this time with the return of their memories had come an unintended consequence…Hurt. The Secondary Guardian had been beside herself, and for all he knew she still was.

Why else would she have spent all this time avoiding them? Well, he would have to worry about fixing that problem _after_ he found her, if he could find her. He stopped outside the apartment door, and then reached forward and pressed the door bell.

Ryo stood there for about five minutes, and frowned before banging on the door, "Elayne?"

Still, there was no response to him at all and he scowled. Fleetingly, he wondered why Cye had not offered to give him the spare key before he had left the house. Oh well, it was not like the Wildfire Ronin needed a key to get in…There were _other _ways.

He glanced around and made sure no one was looking, and then within an instant he was gone. Ryo reappeared on the other side of the door and took a good look around the apartment. He was quite thankful he could teleport again; it made getting around a lot easier.

The first thing that reached him was the scent of blood, and his stomach gave an uneasy lurch…It wasn't new it was several days old.

"Elayne?"

Ryo walked further into the apartment, managing to keep his emotions under control. He did not want to get ahead of himself; he could not afford to do that. As he moved onward, his eyes scanned the apartment trying to see if anything was out of place…Nothing was.

Yet while he was so carefully scrutinizing everything at his eye-level, he failed to notice what was on the floor until he tripped over it…And it let out a highly irritated growl at him.

"Black Blaze?"

_ 'I am NOT a rug,' _the tiger gave an annoyed flick of his tail. _'Certainly took one of you idiots long enough to teleport in and check on her.'_

"Where is she, and what happened?" the Wildfire Ronin demanded perturbed.

"Kouken, what the-" Elayne had been in the bathroom, applying make-up to hide her obvious lack of sleep before she headed out for the day. She stopped dead, "Ryo?"

She shook herself free of the shock, angrily asking, "How did you get in here?"

"I teleported," he calmly answered, looking over her with worried eyes. "What happened to you? Why's your right arm in a cast?"

"Oh just go _away_," the young woman moaned out at him, turning on her heel and heading back into the bathroom.

Ryo scowled, "Not a chance-" he had been following her, and she slammed the door in his face. He rubbed at his nose, now thoroughly annoyed.

"Leave," she opened it a fraction to glare at him. "You're not invited, get _lost."_ She then shut the door again.

Whatever he had said about her being more willing to tolerate him? Scratch it. He glared at the door…There was no way he was going to stand out here and argue with her. Ryo had little patience for such games, so he calmly teleported into the room, directly behind her.

"Layne, just tell me what happened and whether or not you're all right, please? I didn't come here to make an issue out of things."

She had whirled around upon hearing his voice, and now she flattened herself against the door. Elayne felt like a cornered mouse, and that feeling in her gut merely intensified when he took another step towards her.

Ryo was looking over her with a critical eye to gauge what else might have happened. In addition to the sling and cast, there was what appeared to be a long angry cut by her neck, mostly covered by the shirt she wore.

The sideways glance he cast around the bathroom, allowed him to see the waste bin which was full with blood-soaked bandages. He said nothing about it though; he merely waited for her to speak.

"It's nothing Ry, I'm fine," Elayne finally sighed out, running her good hand through her hair. "I got mugged about three days ago. And while they are all in far worse shape than I am, some idiot called the cops and I was sent to the hospital thus I'm stuck healing normally. Well, until my check-up visit which is tomorrow at any rate…After that I'm ditching the cast."

"Now that I've spilled my guts," her tone was filled with boredom, until her eyes narrowed, "What _are_ you doing here?"

He did not fail to notice the tone that she used, but he ignored it, "Mia called and said you missed a get-together. Further, she had no idea where you were and couldn't get in contact with you."

"Oops!" The young woman opened the bathroom door and shot out, snatching up her phone and dialing the number.

The Ronin of Wildfire let out a forlorn sigh, and shook his head as he trailed after her.

Black Blaze looked up at him with a catlike smirk, _'What exactly were you two **doing** in there?'_

Ryo did not fail to catch what the tiger was implying and went bright red at the thought.

Elayne waited for Mia to pick up, and her eyes were half-lidded as she stomped down on Black Blaze's tail.

_'Ow,_' he yowled in complaint, drawing his sore appendage closer to his body so she could not stamp her foot down on it again.

"Keep your dirty-minded thoughts to yourself," she flatly told him, adding, "'Sides, I already _had_ a shower."

"Elayne!" the Ronin Leader had now gone to an interesting shade of fuchsia.

Black Blaze also gave protest, _'Hime!'_

The young woman merely flashed them a triumphant grin, before diverting her attention to the phone, "Hey, Mia. Ya, I'm fine. I completely forgot to call…I got into a scuffle and it just skipped my mind." She took pause, "Oh no, just some punks who thought they were badass. I beat the crap out of them, but shattered my wrist. The one moron's head was twice as thick as Kento's, literally."

Elayne went quiet again, "Mhm, ya sure. I'll talk to you later, bye." She then hung up the phone, and stretched, though it was a little awkward with the cast on her arm.

"You're _still_ here?" she queried of Ryo with a bored look.

The Ronin of Wildfire might have bristled at her comment, and ordinarily he would have. However, he knew all too-well it was her way of keeping her defenses up. By maintaining distance, physically and emotionally, she could protect herself and keep herself from being harmed like she had been in the past.

She was afraid, and if he went on a tirade it'd only give her an excuse to stay away. Ryo was not going to give her a reason to make it so that her actions were justifiable. Shuu and Seiji were good at diffusing her, but he was better at getting her to cave in to his requests.

"Yes. You've been gone an awfully long time Elayne," Wildfire's bearer murmured out. "You need to come back."

"Why should I bother?" the young woman gave a snort before sitting down in a chair and closing her eyes. She was trying very hard to get rid of him, but he would not leave. Somehow, she knew he wasn't going anywhere until he convinced her to go with him.

"We're worried about you, Uni," the Ronin Leader murmured as he walked closer to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. He frowned as he felt her tense at the contact and then she relaxed under the touch.

Ryo seemed to know what she was thinking even though she was still very much walled in, "Haven't you blamed yourself enough for everything? You'll never-"

"I'll move past it when I'm ready Ryo," she told him, her tone raw but filled with finality. "And blame is part of the human condition. I'm not sitting here having a personal pity party feeling sorry for myself; you're the ones I feel sorry for. It is your lives that have been ruined."

"As if yours hasn't?" he softly queried, reaching a hand up to push a strand of hair behind her ear.

She immediately knew what he was doing by initiating the physical contact, Ryo was soothing over her actual frayed nerves…And she was just too tired of putting up a constant fight, so she allowed him.

"Elayne, don't shut us out," Ryo murmured quietly. "We did it to you in the past, but please don't do it to us. We need to be able to talk with each other about anything…"

"All right, Ryo you win," the young woman remarked in a tired voice, she looked up at him finally.

The Ronin of Wildfire offered a smile, "Come out with me, I need to stop and get meds for Blaze. I can drive you back to the mansion."

"Oh," Elayne taunted with a grin. "Look, Kouken. I get a chauffer and he's nice on the eyes too boot." Ryo's cheeks went pink at her comment and she smirked, "You dated me, and you still can't keep yourself from blushing anytime I make such comments. You're hopeless Ryo."

"I know," he chuckled out with a smirk. "Because you're impossible."

"Touché," she remarked getting to her feet, "But, we're not leaving until I get this place clean."

The Ronin Leader gave a nod in understanding, "That's fine. I'll help if you like."

"Pfft, if I'm going back to the mansion, there's no way I'm making it to that appointment tomorrow," Elayne easily removed the sling and opened and discarded the cast. She flexed her now healed arm and wrist, "Makes life so much easier. Anyway, thanks for the offer, but I've got this. Oi, Kouken, head on back I'll join you later."

The black tiger gave a derisive snort, _'You just want to be **alone**_ _with him.'_

Elayne gave a smug grin, "Exactly, now scram."

_'What?'_ Black Blaze suddenly realized he'd been had, scowled at her and then teleported out.

Ryo chuckled at this, and wiped at his eyes with his thumb, "Man, you had him going."

"Oh?" the young woman remarked as she began to tidy up the apartment. "He wasn't the only one."

At his annoyed look she chortled, but fell silent quickly making sure the place was neat and that all the garbage (bloodied bandages and the like) was taken out before leaving with the Ronin of Wildfire. There was no telling when she would be seeing this place again.

…It wouldn't be anytime soon.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

_A/N: This chapter, and the ones following after it the credit largely goes to Sifirela. Who was kind enough to allow me to introduce these characters in a roleplay we did. The ideas contained within these next several chapters are her ideas just mixed with a little bit of my own. Thanks Siffy!_

Vivid-blue eyes kept flickering over to the passenger in his car, before he returned them to the road in front of him. It wasn't a long drive to the vets from Cye's apartment, but the moment the vehicle had started moving, Elayne had fallen asleep. Ryo inwardly cringed, he knew Sage and Kento were going to be upset to see her in such a state...They all were. Universe had always been a collected, well-trained warrior...She had very rarely let that mask slip, and the times it had occurred were few and far in-between. Elayne was human, the only shield she had ever hid behind was that of sarcasm and supposed 'detached emotion'...Now that she was fully awake, the part of her that was human had to reconcile the thousands of years of emotion Universe had never dealt with...It had been too much.  
Ryo understood it now, the dramatic outbursts the months before, at completely random times, had been nothing more than warning signs that Universe was close to a complete breakdown. Her "running away" had been the result of total and complete failure on her part to deal with the emotional strain. The Ronin of Wildfire just hoped they'd be able to get her through this...Because he had a feeling this would not be so easily taken care of. Of course, the issue would take the backseat when certain problems came to light.  
Wildfire's bearer let out a sigh and then a yelp when he turned his head to gaze once more at his passenger, and her eyes snapped open to glare at him. "What?!"  
"Stop poking me," Elayne ordered in a sleepy growl.  
Ryo blinked at her in confusion, "But I didn't do anything!"  
"Mhm," she grumbled out, shifting in her seat and closing her eyes.  
The Ronin Leader sighed through his nose and rolled his eyes...He had a feeling it was going to be one of those days. He parked the car, and was prepared to remark that he'd be back, only to find that she was sound asleep. Ryo have a slight shake of his head at the sleeping figure, before unbuckling his seat belt, and getting out of the car, gently shutting the door behind him.

* * *

An hour later, a fuming Wildfire Ronin was walking back to the car. White Blaze's 'vet' was a friend of Ryo's father, one that understood the reason for the tiger, and the need to keep people from finding out about the exotic pet. The Ronin Leader had noted the tiger was acting rather mopey lately, and took it as a sign that the majestic cat was ill...Any inquiries as to the tiger's health had been rebuffed with gruff, 'i'm fine's. And Ryo would go through any lengths for his tiger companion, but geez this much medication?  
"Tiger costs a fortune," Ryo said in complaint, halting with the huge bag he carried when he heard a snorted laugh.  
"No more than it costs to keep you alive, I'm sure," Elayne teased, sprawled out on the hood of his car, quite content to be there it seemed. Actually, she was enjoying the priceless look on his face. "You know, it's actually cheaper. Yaku and Kouken have never found it worthwhile to get into unnecessary trouble."  
"Mhm, I'm sure," Ryo commented in a drawl, as he popped open the trunk and placed the bag inside, slamming it down. He opened the driver's side door, and then climbed in, slamming it shut.  
"You going to ask me to get off the car, or do you think I'm your new hood ornament?" the young woman queried with a quirked eyebrow. The slight nap, and the work Wildfire's bearer had done had put her at ease...That was enough to get a grin on Ryo's face.  
"Hmm," he seemed to think her statement over, starting up the car, "Definitely, a new hood ornament."  
"I am not taking my clothes off," she curtly told him, eye twitching as she had caught the thought.  
Instead of being embarrassed, Ryo gave a pout, "Aw, man. And here I was hoping-" He didn't finish as he laughed at the evil glare she was sending him for it. He was relieved, she was acting like herself, even though he had only done what could be considered 'minor work' she was in a better mood than what she had been.  
"Not moving till you tell me too."

Ryo heard the challenge in her voice and smirked, "Fine by me." He started to pull out of the parking space, just exceedingly slow.  
Elayne didn't budge an inch, "You realize you'll get a ticket, right?"  
"Eh, whatever," Ryo commented with a wave of his hand in dismissal, as he put the car into drive and inched forward.  
"Nii-chan ruined you," she informed him, abruptly rolling off the hood, and disappearing from his line of sight.  
The Wildfire Ronin slammed on the brakes, "Elayne!?"  
"Hmm?" she queried, now sitting in her seat, having teleported there.  
"Don't do that!" Ryo spluttered out, and she burst out laughing unable to help herself.  
The Wildfire Ronin's minimal anger at the act dissipated knowing she'd only meant to pull one over on him, and nothing more. It was good to hear her laugh it helped put his mind further at ease. He reached out and grasped her hand in his, and he gave a chuckle when she grinned and placed her other hand overtop.  
"I'm fine Ryo," she assured him, squeezing his hand for further reassurance, "I had to go, just for a bit. It was too much for me to handle."  
"I understand that, we all do," Wildfire's bearer assured, and inwardly he frowned...It felt like he was being watched. He cast a glance in the rear-view mirror, but there was no car behind him. He cast a side-ways glance at her, and continued, "But you had us worried, none of us knew what to do. It's different this time, for all of us." He then grinned, "And, nothing changes the fact that Seiji and Shuu have been going ballistic."  
Elayne let out a low moan, "It was bad without the memories now it's worse! They remember they've been babying me for millennia. I dread going back, because I'm never going to get any peace from either of them _now_."  
"Pretty much," Ryo sniggered, laughing when she swatted at him.

The young woman leaned back into her seat with a huff, "Ya laugh it up." A scowl framed her features when she got poked again. She opened her mouth prepared to give Ryo what for, and stopped. She had noticed that both his hands were on the steering wheel, and that he kept shooting nervous glances at his rear-view mirror.  
"Uh, Ryo?" Elayne queried, instinct had kicked in, and she had picked up on something...Turned around, and looked.  
Wildfire's bearer put a little more pressure on the gas pedal, but could not shake the feeling that he was being watched, "Mm?"  
"Speeding up isn't going to help you any," she remarked in amusement, "You have yourself a stowaway."  
"Huh?" Ryo blinked as he stopped at the light, and glanced back at the seats.  
A little boy around the age of seven let out a squeak and ducked back behind Elayne's chair when he caught Ryo staring at him.  
The young woman chuckled, saying in a soft voice to the brownish-black haired child, "He's not going to eat you Addy."

"He's looking at me like he is," Adrian responded sounding quite sure of himself.  
"He always looks like that," Elayne said, trying a different tactic...It didn't work.  
"Nu uh!" Adrian shook his head, saying confidently, "He normally looks like Nunkie Naaza gave him special food."  
Elayne laughed at that, and shook her head she gave up, "All right, Addy. Just stop hiding on the floor, sit in the seat and buckle in. You're going to get your Uncle in trouble."  
The Wildfire Ronin gave Elayne a baffled look, as he stuttered, "U-uncle?" He did not have any siblings!  
"Yah, Nunkie Ry-Ry!" Adrian grinned as he went and did as Elayne had asked.  
"Kid, you two are delusional," the Ronin Leader snorted out, prepared to make further comment, but shut-up at Elayne's look. Oddly enough, it reminded him of the one Mia gave him the time he asked Yuli about the point of watering dead flowers. "That is uh," he fumbled, "Delusional as in shocked...Ah..."  
Adrian and Elayne weren't listening to him by that point.

The child leaned forward and gently tugged at her sleeve, "Nee-san, do you think its safe to let Uncle Ryo drive?"  
"Oh, Adrian sweetie, I've saved him from demons, I can save him from his own driving," Elayne whispered back, saying to Ryo, "There's nothing wrong with him." She sat back in her seat, "You are his Uncle...In the future anyway."  
_ 'He's from Rini's time?' _the Ronin of Wildfire mentally queried, _'Do you think he came alone?'_  
_ 'I don't know, but I wouldn't think so. I'll ask, just a little bit at a time. I don't want to overload him,'_ she answered. Then started off with a very simple question, "Addy, sweetheart, did you come all this way by yourself?"  
"Iya and Ian came with me...I lost them downtown. We were trying to find our way to the safe place but...I saw this cool submarine figurine!"

* * *

After twenty minutes, and Adrian proceeding to talk about everything he had seen (and describing it in full detail), the boy finally came close to wrapping up his explanation.

"And then, I noticed Uncle Ryo's car and slipped in it," he seemed to brighten, "Oh! Oh! You know what else I saw, Nee-san?"

"What Addy?" she queried, her patience and calm manner was showing through right now, as the little boy rambled on without bothering to pause for breath.

However, Ryo was not weathering it as well. Part of it had to do with his general confusion, the rest with how badly the child was chattering on. _All _the sentences were running together.

_'Does he not **breathe**?' _the Wildfire Ronin asked, half in shock, half in complaint as his one eye was slightly twitching.

Elayne inwardly laughed at this, lacing her fingers with Ryo's, _'I'm surprised he even knows me; with the difference between Neo and myself. I'm fearful to ask why they're here. I know I have too…Just put up with it a little longer okay?'_

_ 'It's not that much of a big deal,' _Ryo admitted, a small grin on his face at the contact. Well, at least she wanted something to do with him after everything that had occurred. _'But, does he **have** to talk about fish so much? It's like dealing with an energizer-mouthed Cye!'_

_ 'You know what they say,' _Elayne casually remarked, _'Apple don't fall far from the tree.'_

_ 'He's **CYE'S KID**?!' _He mentally screeched, and nearly drove off the side of the road.

The young woman quickly reached out and pulled the steering wheel more towards her side, causing the car to straighten out as she impatiently stated, _'Ryo, if you're going to have outbursts like that. Pull over, and we'll switch, so I can drive. Without getting us all **killed.**'_

_ 'Sorry,' _came the meek reply. _'I just wasn't expecting that.' _Though, really he most likely should have anticipated it. The boy's eyes were the same exact color as Cye's, and while his face shape was different his skin tone was identical.

Adrian had fallen silent, eyes starting to droop as he had told his older sister everything that had been on his mind. Yet, when the car jerked like it did, he snapped back into wakefulness…And remembered.

Once more the little boy timidly reached out and tugged at Elayne's sleeve to catch her attention, "Nee-san, Aunt Tei wanted me to give this to you; if we could find you."

Adrian seemed to hesitate a moment, before he withdrew a small folded up slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. The child then leaned back in his seat, solemn-faced.

Elayne's heart was pounding in her ears, and she nervously swallowed, a lump having formed in her throat. She was afraid to open it, all too aware of the system Neo had set up with the children's caretaker. But, there was no choice.

It seemed like an eternity before she managed the courage to open the note…And immediately shut her eyes upon seeing the symbol. Tears fell from her eyes when she reopened them, but this momentary 'human weakness' she shoved aside casting a glance at the boy in the backseat.

"It's going to be okay, Addy," Elayne assured, offering the child a kind smile, before saying with conviction, "I'll fix this."

"I know you will," the little boy murmured, giving a nod as he let his gaze slide to the window. A few moments later, he was again asleep.

Elayne took her gaze off of him and returned them to the front, trying her best to get a handle on her now askew emotions. She was upset and angry…_Very _angry.

Ryo cast a bewildered glance at her having caught the mental tirade…She was currently using every swearword known to mankind, and probably half-a-dozen that had been forgotten over the centuries.

"What's wrong?" he asked, further alarmed in seeing the sunken look her face now held.

The Ronin Leader had halted the car at the Estate entrance, waiting on the wrought iron gates to open so he could drive the car through. He kept his eyes on her the entire time, waiting for some sort of response. The young woman said nothing, merely handed him the note too beside herself to speak.

Ryo frowned as he opened it to read, the black-brushed symbol obnoxiously stood out against the white backdrop of the paper. Yet, he did not understand what he was looking at, only that it filled him with dread. _'Death?'_

She gave a nod, _'It's something Neo set up, I'll explain it better later…But, whoever made it here is all that did. The others are dead.'_

Ryo's eyes went wide as the slip of paper fell from his grasp, _'How?'_

_'I don't know, but it's something I know we'll find out about shortly,' _she murmured in response, dreading finding out what had gone so terribly wrong.

The gates finally opened and Ryo drove through them, finding a decent place to park on the pad. As the Estate was, more or less, an apartment/commercial property there was plenty of parking available. While there was a semi-paved road leading back to the mansion, those with vehicles tended to leave them here simply because it resulted in less pranks done to the modes of transportation.

He got out of the car, watching as she retrieved the note and slipped it into her pocket before following suit. She then gently tapped on the glass of the window, causing the little boy to wake up.

Adrian blinked, yawned, unbuckled his seat-belt and got out of the car, "Where are we?"  
"Safe place," Elayne answered with a small smile, "Come on, Addy. I'll give you a piggy back ride."

"Yay!" the boy happily chirped now completely awake as he clambered onto the young woman's back.

Ryo gave a light shake of his head, as he got the bag of medications out of the trunk. He could do nothing more than follow behind them. The questions circled around his mind as he walked along. What had happened in the future to lead to _this_? Exactly, how many of them _had_ made it back into this time?

…And who's kids were **_they_**?


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

One Hour Earlier

Aiyana sighed heavily as they continued to trudge along the side of the road. They were far enough off of it, that no one driving by would see them, should they (for some reason) happen to look. Kin walked at the blonde girl's side, the boy, Ian, not more than a step or two behind them.

"Stop blaming yourself," the young girl quietly murmured keenly sensing the turmoil.

"I had his hand Iya," the twelve-year-old muttered clenching a fist in anger, "Then five minutes later he pulled it away, but I kept a close eye on him to make sure he didn't go anywhere. The second I let myself gaze too long at a certain spot, and I turn back to look, he's gone."

"Ian," she was patient with him, compassionate and kind, "We can't stop to look for him on our own, my senses still aren't working here and I know your's aren't. Addy is more than capable of taking care of himself; we have to deliver the message, and then they can help us find him. It'll be easier for them to do it."

"I know," the blue-haired boy gruffly stated, "But, I shouldn't have let him have his hand back. I should have known better."

_'Stop moping over it,' _Kin's words came in a soft growl. _'Everything happens for a reason. Further, Adrian has his father's luck, as well as Suiko's protection. The armor protection would carry over into this time, Neo Universe-sama assured as such.'_

Ian would have said more, but his cobalt-blue gaze was set on the large wrought iron gates that had finally come into view, "We're nearly there."

The trio ran up to them, easily slipping through the large slats between the bars. Once they did this, they walked carefully onward and halted upon coming around the next bend.

The blue-haired boy was open mouthed, "Wow, this looks exactly like the painting Uncle Shin did!"

"That's because he drew it," Aiyana pointed out with a small smile, the Ronin of Torrent had always put explicit detail into everything. Though she was deprived of normal sight, she was able to use a somewhat second sight, enabling her to see auras and the like.

Right now she was scanning the grounds, looking for a particular set…And she found them.

"Come this way," the blonde said after several moments of silence, starting to walk away from the Estate, but remaining on the grounds.

Ian and Kin blinked at one another before quickly following after her. The tiger was quick to fall back into step with her, _'Where are we going?'_

"Nee-san told us about the smaller mansion that was on these grounds, that should be here now," the girl softly answered. "I merely looked for the auras that ought to be there; and they are."

"Who do you sense?" Ian's tone was now timorous, a sharp contrast to the normal confidence that it exuded.

"Uncle Koma-tachi," Aiyana responded, adding quietly, "Your Mom."

Ian closed his eyes and turned his head, clenching both fists tightly. He'd been afraid his best friend would say that…It brought up so many things he wasn't sure he could deal with, but he knew he had to.

* * *

"Strata and Halo are rather late today," Cale remarked as he thoughtfully twirled his cup of green tea, before taking a sip.

Kayura gave a snort to this, "It's a test day. They said when they left this morning that they'd most likely be late." She turned cobalt-blue eyes to the person that had just recently appeared on the porch, "Where exactly have you been Shuten?"

The red-headed Spring Seasonal quickly answered with, "Ah, I have simply been checking around on things. Staying here, day after day gets to be exceedingly dull."

The Lady Ancient raised an eyebrow at this, having noted the slight color in his cheeks and how quickly the explanation was given; yeah, she didn't buy it.

Sekhmet gave a derisive snort, "He goes where he's been going for the past several months. Wildfire let me know, and I checked it. He's been off with the girl that managed to keep the Ronin in slight line, Mia."

Anubis' face went as red as the roots of his hair, as Kayura cackled in glee, "Anubis, you dog!"

"Here I thought I was sneaky," Dais mused having seemed to pop out of nowhere. He blinked when they all jumped and stared at him, "What?"

The red-headed bearer of Oni let out an exasperated sigh, "It doesn't matter that we know you enjoy materializing out of thin air, you still startle us."

"Ah," the white-haired Seasonal remarked sounding as if it were a startling revelation. Of course, the look on his face clearly conveyed the fact he knew full well it bugged them, and that he took delight in it.

Said look did not go unnoticed by his comrades at all, but before they could make remarks on the matter, Kayura's observation halted them.

"What are children doing out here?"

Immediately the four men snapped their attention to where she was looking taking the sight in. A young girl and boy had come into view, walking down the slightly disheveled roadway that lead back to the mansion.

Anubis was already able to tell from here that there was power about them, and then he noticed they were not alone, "And with an exotic pet no less?"

Sekhmet and Dais were frowning as the children slowly made their way towards them, trying to do what they could to place them. However, Cale was easily able to identify the auras…And who's they so closely resembled.

_'How the HELL?'_

* * *

Ian saw her standing there and moved behind Aiyana, almost as if she were his protector. In a way, the blonde girl was that, and had always been since they were old enough to walk and talk. She looked out for him and defended him, and when he couldn't handle a situation she managed to pull through and take care of it for the both of them.

The girl did not let the presence of her family bother her, capable of staving those emotions off simply because she knew now was not the time, and that they would not understand anyway. She halted a few feet in front of them, and bowed her head in respect, "Hello minna-san. We're looking for someone, and hope you can help us-"

She took pause, strummed the mental line that was all-too-easy for her to access, _'Ian, the hell did Neo say the name was?'_

"Elayne," Ian spoke the answer aloud, then queried, "Is she here?"

Both children were holding their breath, the tiger at their side also waiting for the answer. Neo had told them to look for Elayne, and not Universe, saying that the past was far different from what hers' had been originally. But, they had no way of knowing where they had ended up; they were in the past _obviously _but which one was tricky. Time and space were not moving correctly anymore, they could be anywhere.

Sekhmet decided to take initiative and answer, "You're in luck. She should be back soon." The air about them was confusing him, it did not match someone from this time…And when the pair finally stepped into the light so that the shadow from the porch no longer concealed their faces? He nearly fell off said porch.

_'In the name of the Council, Elders, Ancient, and armors!' _the flabbergasted Seasonal of Fall cried.

Dais rolled his eye, reprimanding, _'Not so loud.'_

"Ya," Ian saw a chance to interject, and could not resist, "You shouldn't swear on so many beings either, Uncle Naaza."

And the Seasonals, well-brought up veteran fighters that they were, just _stared_ at the boy in total complete shock and bewilderment. Cale had already been swearing on every being he knew, he'd just been keeping it private. So when the child blurted out a response to the mental comment, and said 'Uncle Naaza' he was about ready to collapse on the spot.

Kin gave a snort to their reaction, _'Stupidity's in them even now…'_

"O-kay," Kayura said slowly, trying to figure out what exactly was going on. She was in slight shock over the boy's appearance. He had the same color eyes as her own…Yet he looked like…

"Sage is going to be a bit later," Rowen announced as he suddenly appeared in a whirl of wind, "And what's all the commotion on the mental link for?" He gave a snort, "You guys are whooping and hollering over the line so ba-" Words left him.

Ian had whipped his head around feeling the presence directly next to him. Now seeing his father he defied the urge to run to him. Unable to forget what had happened in the future…How his father and his uncles had left…

The boy stepped back nervous and unsure, Aiyana reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him and to calm him down. It worked, for the young boy relaxed.

The Ronin of Strata managed to close his open mouth. It was just a little disconcerting to see a child with Kayura's eyes…But more so with her eyes and similar to how he looked when he was little. He took note of the girl that was doing what she could to soothe his nerves, and his own eyes went wide.

"I'm sorry," her voice broke the silence and stillness of the moment, snapped them all back to the present. "I know you have questions, but do you mind if we sit inside? The three of us have traveled quite a distance."

Kayura gave a nod, "Of course." She moved and opened the door, watching as the boy took the girl by the arm and helped her up the stairs. No, Kayura corrected herself, he was guiding her.

"Thank-you," the blonde girl murmured out. _'Thanks Ian.'_

_'Anytime Iya,'_ he assured her.

Rowen frowned watching as the Seasonals quickly followed after the newcomers…He made sure he did the same but at a slower pace to ponder things over in his head. The archer wanted very much to know what was going on.

…He wouldn't have very long to wait.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Credit goes to Sifirela K. Hashiba for her help with this chapter.**

Elayne laughed lightly as Adrian continued to tell her about what he had done. Nothing amused her more than hearing about all the trouble these kids had caused.

"Takeo was _mad_," the boy enthusiastically stated, "Cause he didn't think of it first."

"You guys pick on Ian too much," the young woman lightly ridiculed. He had just finished explaining that he had glued Ian's shoes to the floor, resulting in the poor boy ending up flat on his face.

Adrian gave a pout from his spot atop her back, "But Nee-san! He deserved it."

Ryo couldn't help but silently chuckle at this; he had to admit with all he'd heard so far Ian sounded like a piece of work. The Ronin of Wildfire probably would have done the same thing, if he'd been about twelve years younger…

"The safe place!" Adrian suddenly remarked as he laid eyes on the mansion.

The Wildfire Ronin looked to Elayne with a raised eyebrow, and the woman slightly shook her head, _'It was easier for them to remember it that way.'_

_'You mean it was discussed with them that if anything…?' _Ryo trailed off and she gave a nod as she climbed the steps.

Elayne really did not want to be back here. There were so many memories and so many things that had been left unresolved before she took off- But, it all had to take a backseat now. She loftily called out, "Minna, tadiama! I don't s'pose any er…People parcels have shown up while I was gone?"

She went to open the door, only to have it opened for her by a baffled Sekhmet, who blinked and remarked, "Ah, you have one with you." He just as quickly did a double-take when it dawned on him _who_ the child looked like.

"Nice to see you too Sekhmet," Elayne gave a derisive snort as she moved past the Fall Seasonal and into the house, taking care to kick off her shoes and maintain holding Adrian.

Her violet eyes went to the living room and landed on Kayura whom offered her a small smile.

"Welcome back," the Lady Ancient murmured already on her feet. She gave the young woman a brief hug, and said, "Ya we have parcels. Not saying much, but I gathered they were from Rini's time."

"We are Auntie Kay!" Adrian gushed, pouting a little when Elayne crouched down signaling it was time for him to get off. He sighed and did so, blinking when he heard, "Adrian!"

Aiyana had bolted from where she'd been sitting, "Where have you been?" She was looking directly at him, a scowl on her face.

"Iya!" He chirped zooming through the room and forcefully glomping the girl. "I found them! I'm glad you made it here!"

"Brat you had us both worried," Ian snorted out, eyeing Ryo and the young woman that had carried Adrian in. The Ronin of Wildfire looked no different, none of his family looked any different. But, he didn't recognize _her._

She didn't look like Neo at all. Her general appearance and, from what he'd seen so far, her manner were different. The power and strength were different as well, he didn't know who she was, but it couldn't be her. Could it?

"Sorry we're late," Cye called out as he and Sage walked into the living room, "And, Ro's been telling us-" Both men stopped dead in their tracks at the scene that greeted their eyes, and exchanged brief looks with one another.

Sage turned his violet gaze to Strata's bearer, "Okay, you _weren't_ kidding."

Adrian had been all right with seeing the Seasonals, and Rowen. But when the two of them entered he let out a small whimper as he said to Aiyana… Sounding hurt and confused, "They're all here."

"I know," she said, trying to soothe the little boy as she wrapped an arm around him in a hug, "S'kay." Her eyes shifted to Elayne, "Who are you?"

"You can't tell?" Elayne sounded a little surprised, perhaps partially amused. "Is my aura really that different?" She had stepped forward, and now she kneeled down and took the girl's hands placing them on her face, "You tell me who I am."

Aiyana frowned a little, as she carefully traced each detail. If she'd been able to see, no she would not have recognized her, just like Ian didn't. But, there were certain features of the human face that were distinct, like the lines on the palm of ones hand, features that the blonde knew all-too-well.

"She's blind?" Ryo softly queried. Really he hadn't been able to tell, because up until that point she hadn't shown any traits associated with blindness.

Elayne gave a nod to his question, patiently waiting on Aiyana…

"Nee-san?" Aiyana's eyes were slightly wide. "Then we?"

"Mhm," she blinked in surprise when the child threw her arms around her neck in a hug.

The blonde girl let out a shaky breath, shutting her amethyst eyes, "I was so afraid we weren't going to be able to find you. That we'd ended up too far out, that the twists in time would make it impossible to get here…And that if we did get here, you wouldn't be here."

"Well now, if I wasn't here then Aunt Setsuna could've handled it," Elayne pointed out, tone slightly teasing. "Not like we can depend on your Uncles for anything other than their looks and muscle." She dutifully ignored the glares she got from the Ronin for that comment. "I need to know what happened, Iya-chan, but I need to talk to minna-san first. All right?"

The girl gave a nod, and disentangled herself from the woman, offering a small smile, "Sorry."

"Oi, oi, what have I told you about that?" Elayne queried annoyed the child was apologizing for the display of emotion.

Finally Aiyana let out a laugh, the smile widening and her face lighting up, "That you'd kick Dad from the Crystal Palace all the way back to Sendai…A thousand years in the past."

"And I have no qualms with doing it," Elayne grinned as she gave this warning and got to her feet.

For the most part the Ronin and Seasonals remained quiet, not sure what to say, and figuring it was better not to intrude. They knew the young woman would fill them in eventually; right now it was best for her to pay attention to the obviously distressed children. It wasn't like they knew what to say, she seemed to know who they were, so she was better at comforting them.

"Hi Ian," she softly greeted, the boy's sharp gaze had been on her for a while now, and the look on his face was one that spoke of his distrust.

"Hello," he gruffly commented, and then blinked when he saw the silver that briefly appeared in the violet, as well as an aura quite well known to him…To all of them. _'She came here?!'_

_'Neo had little choice,' _she told the boy before focusing on a certain mental line and giving a hard yank.

_'Ow!' _Trista grumbled in complaint, _'You've been silently sulking for weeks. Is there a reason you're bothering me right this minute?'_

_'I need you over here now, and bring Rini while I'm thinking about it.'_

_'What for?'_

_'Remember that disturbance before?' _Elayne knew the woman would understand what she was talking about. _'I need you to babysit, and I'm sure Rini will want to see her siblings.'_

_'Oh **hell**, I'm on my way.'_

Elayne fell silent, her eyes going around the room…Mmm, if the three were here than that meant so was the tagalong. Now where exactly was the little pint-sized-"Bah, KIN!" She yelped as she was nearly mowed over by the cub.

The golden tiger slammed on the brakes, and cast a glance over his shoulder, flashing her a toothy grin, _'Sorry, Universe. Didn't realize it was you.'_

The children could not help but burst into laughter, Elayne, however, failed to be impressed, her one eye was slighty twitching.

"I don't _care_ that you're Yaku's cub. I'll stuff you and you can sit in the Estate for the next 900 years!"

The cub grimaced, hastily saying, _'Scuse me, need to harass my old man,' _before hurriedly exiting the room.

Trista chose that moment to pop in, with Rini who was…Talking "at" her…

"I don't see why you have to be so evasive Puu!" the preteen scowled, "Is it too much to ask-"

"Rin Rin!" Adrian had climbed on the sofa and started to doze off, but hearing her voice he was now wide awake and proceeded to tackle her to the ground.

"Ototou!" Rini blinked in surprise, gaze going to the others, "You made it!"

"Ya, Rin-chan," Ian mumbled out, smiling at her…First real one he'd given in an exceedingly long time.

"Minna," Elayne broke in, watching in amusement when Rini went and glomped the blue-haired boy to near death, "I have to dump you on your Aunt Trista for a bit. I have people to talk to and clean up."

At hearing this Aiyana gave a snort, "When _don't_ you? Try not to draw too much blood Nee-san, you had a hard time cleaning it off the walls last time."

The Guardian of Time chuckled at the comment, catching the youngster's attention, "C'mon, let's get you all something to eat."

Sage blinked and stared after the blonde haired girl, not only did she resemble him, but hell she even made comments…

"Don't stare, you told me it was rude," Aiyana informed him as she walked past and followed Trista into the kitchen.

"Hell, that one is _definitely_ yours," Kento remarked as he'd finally entered the house. He'd staid over at the restaurant that evening, but been keeping tabs on the situation by listening over the mental line, so he had the jest of what was going on.

The Ronin of Halo gave the Warrior of Strength an exceedingly dirty look for that comment. Kento proceeded to blow him a kiss, Sage's eye twitched.

Adrian had latched onto Cye's leg when the talk was given that they needed to go with Trista. He didn't want to go…The child was upset, and he had a lot of reasons for being so.

"Addy, go on and get something to eat," Elayne told him in a soft tone of voice.

The little boy shook his head, "I don't wanna."

"Adrian," her voice went slightly hard now; going from pleading to slight telling.

"No," he tightened his grip on Cye's leg….Poor Torrent's bearer, all he could do was helplessly stare at the child that currently had him in a death grip and warily look to Elayne.

So much for pleading, and telling, now it was time to demand. "Mouri, Adrian!" Her eyes narrowed the tone of voice completely stern, "_Now_."

Cye looked at Elayne with wide eyes, before glancing down at the little boy who had released him upon hearing that tenor. Rini quickly acted, offering the woman a nod as she put an arm around Adrian, "C'mon, otouto," and guided him out of the room.

Ian moved to follow the others, but hesitated and cast a glance to her. His face spoke volumes as to what he was currently feeling, the emotions all too clear.

"Don't worry Ian," Elayne assured, offering a soft smile, "You can tell me everything after you eat and rest some."

"We've been resting Nee-san,…" the blue-haired boy bit his lip, eyes downcast now. He looked up when she came over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We're going to fix this, I promise. Let me explain what I know to the others, and then you can fill in what Trista and I don't know. Okay?"

"All right," Ian now sounded relieved, and he happily left the room for a chance at a real meal.

"Exactly, what the _hell_ is going on?" the Ronin of Torrent brusquely demanded having finally found his voice.

She was momentarily startled by the outburst, before she remembered that their memories were back, and thus some of the old personality quirks as well.

The Secondary Guardian shook her head, "I won't speak where they can hear it. Basement." She offered nothing more than that, before teleporting there.

To this action the warriors could only exchange baffled looks, before collectively shrugging and following after. By this point they were too curious to refuse the chance to hear the explanation, and besides if something had gone amiss they wanted the chance to fix it.

…Of course, some things are not so easily fixed.

* * *

Elayne fell into one of the chairs outside the sound-booth, a frown deeply etched into her features as she waited on the Ronin, eyes tracing over the note one more time. She closed them, let out a strangled sigh…Of all the things…Trista had said she'd noticed _twists_ in time, meaning things had changed and made the future uncertain; because neither of them had _ever_ seen this. Well, Elayne might have seen something similar, but who knew if it was comparable to this?

This was just what Elayne needed to deal with, the warriors getting their memories back and having the future in a wreck. A future she'd tried too many _damn_ times to save and always ended up failing. Never for herself though; she didn't have a future. It was their future she had been trying to save, their lives and sanity along with it: _from the start._

_'Get a hold of yourself, now is not the time to deal with your problems,' _she growled in irritation, looking up when the Ronin entered the basement. Elayne put on a mask of collected calm, kept her voice at an even tenure, "No comments, sarcasm, squeaks, or protests. Not a word, or sound, until I am done speaking, after I'm done you can act like a bunch of idiots. Got that?"

Sage and Kento exchanged concerned glances…Hell, they all did. They knew that tone of voice and could hear the emotion she was visibly forcing out of her words. That alone was enough to tell them how bad the situation was, because Elayne would have never spoken to them in such a manner over anything. She was talking to them warrior to warrior, like Universe, because it was the only way she could without falling apart.

The group of ten each nodded their understanding, and Elayne let out a loose breath before starting to talk.

"Yes, they are from Rini's time. No, I'm not here to discuss who had a kid with whom, but it is pretty obvious who their fathers are. If you can't figure out the mothers, well, that's not my fault."

"Layne," Ryo gently broke in, he could see all too clearly how upset she was. "I know you said not to interrupt, but you best say it aloud. So, it sinks in. And, telling us how old they are wouldn't hurt either."

"All right," she conceded; it was a good idea it definitely wouldn't hurt for them to have the information. Elayne pointed at Cye, "As I oh-so-subtly stated before Adrian is yours, and he just turned seven."

Her violet gaze went to Rowen, "Hashiba, Ian, is practically you reincarnated. Except for the added smart's he gets from his mother and her mischievous streak. He's the eldest of the Ronin Elemental children; he'll be 13 in July."

"Date Aiyana," the woman now looked to Sage, "Is also a chip off the old block, and she'll be twelve in a few days. Ironically, she was also born on the 9th."

Whatever thoughts were running through the three's heads, and whatever they were feeling, they kept it away from her. Something she knew they were doing intentionally. They could already tell she was having a difficult time with this…They didn't want to make it worse.

"Minna…" there, the warrior façade had crashed down, uncertainty tinged her words now, "I don't know how much you know about Neo."

The Ronin of Hardrock immediately stepped up, placed a hand on her shoulder to try and offer her some comfort. It bothered him greatly that she was so distraught, "We know all that the Senshi know, by this point, mei mei."

"Then I can tell you what I know," Elayne sighed out, "Just before that stint in the Nether Realm, Rini told me that Neo-Universe was dead. She had been away for a while and upon her return was ousted from Crystal Tokyo. After she left, she was followed and killed by an insider for the enemy."

Kayura looked at her horrified, casting a glance to Sekhmet who looked just as shocked. There was a cup of tea to swallow while it was still scalding: she was dead?

"Calm down," the young woman shook her head. "Rini said she was dead, but she wasn't. It was a ruse."

"Wait a minute," Dais was frowning, "You mean, that was the point she jumped back into time from?"

Elayne gave a nod, "Yes, when she first appeared to me, it had been directly after she was 'killed' in the future. She knew she couldn't do anything further there, and thus had to meddle in time directly. Neo has been in our time ever since then, intervening when she can, trying desperately to prevent what happened in her time from occurring in ours. But…"

"Go on, An-chan," the Ronin of Strata encouraged; she had fallen silent for several minutes now.

"Ah, sorry, trying to figure out how to word this," the young woman chewed on her bottom lip, and then continued. "Trista, as Time Guardian, keeps close tabs on it no matter where she is. But she's noticed, and I've felt, that there were twists in time. Bends, which result in the future obtaining uncertain paths…Paths that were not traversed before."

"Basically, the future Neo has come from is still there and it has now gotten worse," Elayne tossed the note on the table. She had crinkled it up in anger before, but now it unfolded.

"Death?" Cale was frowning as he read it over, and for some reason it made him feel greatly uneasy. Anubis' eyes were wide he recognized that neat script anywhere: it was Mia's!

"Rini-tachi can't go home, and they are the only surviving children."

* * *

_A/N: Here you go, just something to offset the fact I haven't put this up here. Real life has pretty much finished me off, but I will try and update this when I can. It has been done for a really long time, I just have been lacking the motivation to put it on ffnet. Thanks for reading. -LG_


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

**Thanks to Sifirela K. Hashiba for her help with this chapter.**

"Children were killed?" The note of disgust in the Ronin of Halo's voice when he spoke was not hard to miss. He was the first to permeate the silence that had settled, perhaps the only one capable of doing it. Either way, the others shook themselves from the stupor they were in while Elayne could only offer a mute nod.

"It isn't Akemliek," the green-haired Seasonal of Fall was frowning, "That isn't his style. Mindless slaughter isn't in that honor code of his."

"Don't knock it," the Warrior of Trust ridiculed, "That's helped us out a lot; it's kept him from harming innocent people just for kicks. This would have been a hell of a lot harder if he had to get his jollies from maiming helpless bystanders."

"Shin," the Winter Seasonal moaned out rubbing at his forehead, "Please stop with the slang now?"

Cye gave a smirk, "Dirty-minded wolf." Cale _glowered_ at him.

"Kids," Kento warned with a glare, "Shut up." He gave the Ronin of Torrent a look when the man moved to open his mouth, "Dude, mouth, keep it shut, thanks." Cye gave a pout, _'Damn, what a bunch of nancy boys you lot are.'_

"Shin!"

"What? He didn't say anything about not mentally communicating!"

Elayne gave a chuckle and shook her head, hands folded in her lap, "Thanks, guys."

They all stopped, rubbed at the back of their necks. Ya, they hadn't meant to be that obvious about it. "You're men," Kayura candidly informed them, "Everything you do is obvious." They all glared at her, to which she beamed, "You know you love me, and would be heartbroken without me."

"Touma would," was the retort to that. Rowen went beet red, and Kayura scowled at them making throttling gestures with her hands. And the Secondary Guardian could only lightly laugh at them.

"Okay, that was enough of a breather for me," Elayne announced she waved aside the concerned looks. "Let me get on with this. As far as the future is concerned, when Neo was away before her ousting from the palace she'd been gone for about two years. Aiyana was blind, and one of the Season's children was injured, but she never got a chance to find out what happened. The Senshi summoned her to the palace and informed her that you," she motioned to the Seasonals, "Were stuck in the Nether Realm and had been for eight months. The rest of you were missing, and had been so for about three. When Rini got here it was four."

"But now it's been six months and Crystal Tokyo is in far direr straights," Aiyana murmured from the top of the stairs. She walked down them without aid, though Ian and Rini were there if she needed them (both making it a point to remind her).

Elayne was on her feet, a small frown on her face as she didn't see Adrian with them. It wasn't that she thought it best for the youngest to be around for such talk, but she was worried.

"He's sleeping," Ian answered the unspoken question, "He probably did more walking than we did. But, we're more tired with what resulted in us coming here."

"I'll try and tell you all that we know, Nee-san. Even the most meaningless thing might prove useful to you," Aiyana said as sat down in the chair Elayne had motioned for her to take. There was definitely some blinking at that.

"Technically she's blind but she does have second sight," Rini explained to the dumbfounded looks, "So she can see auras."

"Father's fault," Ian coughed out, grinning when Sage gave him a look.

"He's yours all right," the swordsman flatly informed Strata's bearer, who gave a 'heh' in response. Cye rolled his eyes at them, and Ryo shrugged to Kento who bit down a snort, before directing his attention back to where it was needed.

"A year and two months ago Aunt Kayura-tachi received word that there was a disturbance in the Nether Realm; this was a month after the Seasonal Senshi contacted Crystal Tokyo with news that someone was trying to gain access to this galaxy," Aiyana said quietly.

Rini gave a nod, quick to take up talking, since she knew most of this information and did not want her siblings to have to talk about this awful ordeal after what they'd been put through, "From what I overheard, there hadn't been any contact from the Seasonal Senshi since that point. Mom, and minna, agreed that most likely the first line of defense had been breached. And, to avoid the second-line which is Pluto-tachi, whoever, or whatever, it was slipped into the Nether Realm. The Seasons went to deal with it and ended up being locked in."

"Queen Serenity only got a few sparse messages from them, and none were good," the blonde girl sighed out.

Kayura and the Seasonal warriors could only exchange bewildered glances at hearing this information. And for some reason, the Lady Ancient looked to Ian who seemed sullen as Rini and Aiyana spoke. She'd also noticed how he clenched his fists upon hearing her and the Seasonals mentioned. But she was forced to push these thoughts aside and focus on what the girls were saying.

"Uncle Ryo-tachi were trying to figure out how to get them out," Rini said, with a small frown. "They spent weeks on it and when they found they were close to a solution. They sensed something and went to investigate it."

Ian's face now turned into a scowl and the boy's anger rolled through him as he gritted out, "They said, they'd be back, that they wouldn't be gone long. They promised…They…" the blue-haired boy was looking solely to the Ronin now, cobalt gaze on his father, "You never came _back_."

The archer swallowed upon hearing this inwardly wincing at the look of hurt on the child's face. Wondering what the hell had happened. He was about to get an answer.

"When I left, no one knew what had happened to you," Rini murmured, looking to Aiyana, "Did they?"  
The blonde girl gave a solemn nod, "I overheard Uranus, maybe a week after you left. They were ambushed taken captive by the thing that invaded our galaxy…Her name is Riynd."

The adults in the room simply tried to ponder over the meaning of this strange sounding name, feeling dread at what it might imply. Elayne, on the other hand, went _livid._

"_What!?_" she had been sitting up until that point but now she was on her feet. Agitation showing in her posture and speech, "_Her?_ The psychotic demonic bitch? How the hell did she find the galaxy! _Damnit_." Yeah, it really showed.

"You know who that is?" Ian was quick to query, he sounded surprised. Even Aiyana and Rini looked slightly taken aback; mainly because, it had been an outside threat.

"Yes, I don't believe it," she was scowling, "Akemliek is not one of those cliché 'one of a kind' beings. He's got relatives and _plenty_ of them, even if he doesn't know them. Riynd's the worst of his blood relations; I can't believe this!" Elayne tried to keep a hold on her temper but found it slightly difficult, "Neo had safe-guards up, and I implemented about two-dozen more this lifetime just to keep things out."

"Neo's guards must have failed," Cale was frowning, "Or this Riynd found a way to take them down."

Elayne let out several deep calming breaths, "I don't know why they would have failed though. Someone had to have tampered with them, it's the only explanation."

"Nee-san," Aiyana broke in, the quiet voice startling them since it stood out in such sharp contrast with the louder even ones. "You know what happened to our fathers." It was not a question, only a statement of fact.

Everyone in the room was looking to her now, and she gave a nod before saying, "If Riynd can't destroy something she keeps it until she can, or until she bores of it. They're alive."

"Probably won't be for much longer," Ian gruffly commented, eyes having been trained on the wall for several minutes. Hearing those words one would have thought relief would have instantly flooded him, but to hear the statement after his father and uncles had already been presumed dead for so long…Did nothing to lighten his spirits. "It can't change the fact what's happened with them gone."

"Akemliek started making his moves," Aiyana stated calmly, "Rini wasn't gone for two weeks before he started directly attacking Crystal Tokyo."

"Why weren't you sent here sooner?" the Ronin of Trust queried, he'd been silently absorbing all this information. With the lull in talking, he decided to bring up what was currently bothering him. "From what you're saying, you had another month-and-a-half there before coming here."

"We were always kept separate from our parents during times of extreme crisis," Ian explained, tone of voice now sour, "And then, the palace's barrier was breached…So we were…" Here he snarled, and refused to finish talking.

However, they did not have to finish, because Elayne already knew…Once more the young woman was showing her 'Italian and Japanese' temper, "They _didn't_. Do _not_ tell me they did, because I will skin their asses alive."

Aiyana softly sighed, no one ever got more upset when things happened to them than Neo, and since Elayne was Neo (at least in principal) she was unconcerned by the show of temper and rage, "Nee-san, what do you think the elements did?"

Now there was something the warriors all knew and understood; the elements. The Great Council had been made up of many different beings, not all of them had been human. The actual elements had physical forms and had been the ones to choose their human wielders. When the Great Council disbanded the elements had very much remained, though they had faded to the backdrop since the last main lifetime.

Apparently, they had reasserted themselves in the future. That definitely was not a good thing. A low growl permeated Elayne's throat as she answered, "They kept you isolated from each other; they had you locked up." Not at all unlike how they had once done the same to her for trying to interfere for trying to save the Ronin and Senshi from death.

Even Kento was angered by hearing this, "How could they do that to _kids_?"

"They're not human Kento, they don't know they did anything wrong," Rini murmured out, saying to the Secondary Guardian, "I acted like I knew they were coming, because Hikari told me she was going to ensure they got out. She didn't know where the Seasonal's kids were."

"So she led Aunt Tei to us?" Ian queried, sounding slightly surprised by the revelation.

Rini gave a nod, eyes still on Elayne, "Please don't be mad but I couldn't find you. Okay, no, I knew where you were but had absolutely no way to contact you. So, I told Hikari to ensure they got here."

"Do I look mad?" the young woman sounded amused, "Certainly not at you; the elements…Are another story. You made the right call and you don't need me to tell you that. Besides, Neo told Mia just to send you all back if things got awful. She had pressured your Mom into sending you here; if she hadn't been called away she might've done the same thing with the others."

Elayne turned her attention to Aiyana, "I get the feeling you guys were already on your way out when your Aunt showed up though, eh?"

The blonde girl let a smirk cross her face, a look that matched Sage's perfectly, "We _are_ our father's children after all. What they wouldn't teach us, we had their teacher train us." And, if the Seasonal teens were anything like _their_ Dads, they were out fighting and raising all kinds of hell for the enemy. If any of them were still alive…

"Hold it, hold it," Rowen broke in, he'd been following the conversation for a bit now, but now he had to comment, "What is Mia doing alive in the 30th Century Crystal Tokyo?"

"Can't be married to Anubis and have triplet's if she's dead," Elayne candidly remarked, watching with a perverse amount of enjoyment when they stared at her in total shock. Yeah, so she'd broken the not-going-to-tell-you-who-married-who thing, but after all the grief the red-haired Seasonal had given her about Ryo, he had _earned_ it. Needless to say, said Seasonal's face matched his hair perfectly.

"I _thought_ you guys had full memories?" Rini queried, when they nodded that they did she continued, "Then how can you forget that she and Jun-chan have been involved since the beginning?"

"Ah, that's right," Cye rubbed at the back of his neck, "She was the palace strategist, consort…And Yuli was…" He struggled for the word.

"Captain of the Guard," Sage supplied in a bored tone.

Ryo looked at the children, "Now she's your caretaker?"

Ian gave a nod, and even Aiyana was now silent. Rini bit her lip, partly worried about what was going through their heads, and what had happened to lead up to this point. The main thing being, why the others were not with them…They should have all been there.

Elayne tilted her head at the pre-teen, seeming to know the thoughts currently running through her head, and she gave a nod to the unspoken question; it'd be better if Rini tried to coax an answer out of them.

"You wouldn't tell me what happened after you got out," the Princess of the Future said softly, "Why the other Elementals weren't here."

Both children visibly stiffened, and went pale at hearing these words, being forced to reflect on what _had_ occurred.

"Oh no," Kayura murmured, realization coming to her quickly, "The place started coming down around you."

Ian had his hands on his lap, and now clutched at the denim jeans he wore, offering a stiff nod, while Aiyana mournfully stated, "That's why they didn't make it."

The warriors closed their eyes at hearing this, what an ordeal to go through…Especially for one's as young as this. It was…It was awful…Wrong, and cruel. But it shouldn't have come as a surprise; did they ever think they were going to have normal lives? That, even if they tried to lead a life as normal as possible, their family would not get caught up in the mess? It was a harsh truth, but perhaps it was best for them to come to terms with it now, instead of later.

"Ian," once again Elayne broke the silence, she had walked over to the child and kneeled down in front of him. Now she took one of his hands in hers, trying her best to use the contact to work on healing over the frayed nerves she could clearly see. "How far behind you were they?"

The child looked up at her, cobalt eyes filled with raw emotion, when he spoke, his voice cracked, "Right behind me. Nee-san there wasn't more than three minutes separating us. But-"

"Hey, I always keep my promises don't I?" Elayne queried with a gentle smile, when he nodded she said, "Then I promise you, we're going to fix this. _All _of it."

"Thanks, Nee-san," the blue-haired boy yawned and rubbed at his eyes, having been trying to fight off sleep for several minutes now.

"I think it's bedtime for you guys," the Secondary Guardian chuckled out.

Dais gave a soft snort, "The girl's already there."

She was; after falling silent, her eyes had closed…Now her breathing was slow and methodical, indicative of the fact she was sleeping. Exhaustion and stress had finally taken over.

"And now he is too," Sekhmet remarked with a chuckle. Of course, he knew that was because Elayne hadn't given him much a choice in the matter.

Slowly the young woman got to her feet and turned around to face them, "Minna, I know it's a lot to swallow…"

"Don't worry about it, imouto," Sage told her, as he walked over to Aiyana's sleeping form, and gently picked up the small girl, "You find out what it is we need to fix, and we'll take care of this."

His words came as no surprise to any of them, however his actions were causing the others to stare at him in disbelief.

The swordsman seemed to realize what he was getting looks for and he sighed through his nose, "We're not their family, _yet_. But they've been without it too long, and I don't think it'd hurt to treat them like they're home, even if it's only a temporary one."

"I forgot you were a sucker for kids in the past lives," the Ronin of Hardrock chuckled out, sniggering when Sage gave him a dirty look.

Rowen grinned, "Ah, just his kid," here the archer smirked, "You make such a cute dad, Sage."

"Bite me."

"And leave nothing for our honeymoon?" Strata's bearer asked in mock horror.

"I wouldn't let you _live_ to see the _reception_," Sage informed, before saying to Elayne, "If you need me, come get me."

"Thanks, Nii," she appreciatively murmured.

The blond gave a kind smile, before teleporting out of the basement. Leaving Rowen to blink, hmm that taunting had not gone according to his planning. Oh well, he gave a shrug, "Well, if nothing else, it's a crash course on parenting, before they're actually born." He picked Ian up and also left the basement.

"I-I guess I'll go see to Adrian," Cye said; really he couldn't believe this. It was just too bizarre; he walked up the stairs and then door shut behind him.

"What do we do?" Anubis queried a frown on his face; he'd managed to rid himself of the blush.

Ryo was quick to make a very important point, "Someone has to tell the Senshi what's going on."

Rini got up, "I'll go, but it'd probably be a good idea if one of you came with me."

"I'll go along," Dais offered as he got to his feet.

"You just want to see Lita," the green-haired Seasonal of Fall jeered.

"Uh huh not _like_ you at all," Cale drawled out, "And that certain Outer Senshi you happen to-"

"I'll go let the Elementals know!" Sekhmet hastily stated over top of Winter's bearer, effectively drowning out the last part of the sentence. He then proceeded to teleport, rather resembling a Christmas ornament upon his departure.

Those remaining could only shake their heads, as Rini and Dais also took their leave. Kayura's lips were pursed in thought, as she mulled over all the information.

"Hmm, I think you and Cale should go poke around the city, and maybe the Nether Realm, Anubis," the Lady Ancient finally remarked.

"That is wise," the Spring Seasonal said in agreement, he and Winter's bearer were already standing.

Cale nodded, "We will report back soon." With that both were gone.

Kayura looked to Elayne who had flopped down on the floor, she could easily see the emotion in the Secondary Guardian's eyes, the worry, hurt, anger, and even perhaps a bit of fear. It really was a change to see Universe…So human. Perhaps even a bit startling, but it was not as disconcerting as having Elayne deal with them simply as warrior and nothing more. Now wasn't the time to talk though, so Kayura merely took her leave.

"Mei mei?" Kento queried softly as he walked over to her, "Are you going to be okay? Ryo filled me in on why you missed that appointment with Mia."

"Did he?" Elayne asked sounding distracted, before she looked up a pained expression on her face, "I don't know, gege."

She sighed, frustrated, "It's bad enough you guys _just_ decided to come back, but this on top of that?" The young woman put her head in her hands, "And I don't even know _how_ to fix this, because I don't know what went wrong."

"You'll figure it out, you always do," the Hardrock Ronin soothed, "It's the rules, ne? You figure out what the hell happened, we fix it, and if we can't completely fix it, you make sure we have the ability to do so at a later date."

"Geez, talk about summing up my life in fifty words or less," Elayne commented with a small grin, "Thanks, gege." He had helped her to her feet, and now she hugged him, "And, I am glad your back. Really, I just…"

"I know," Kento assured her pulling back to look at her as he spoke, "We _all_ know. You put off the emotions because you were trained to do that, but you can't put them off anymore, and you have to deal with them. Problem being you had to deal with too much all at once. We get it mei mei, just no more bailing on us, kay?"

"I'll try," Elayne commented, and then smirked a little, "No promises though, cause you guys are crazy; if the mental institution _finally_ comes to collect you, I am out of here."

Here the Hardrock Ronin chuckled, "That's better." He soon became solemn faced, "I know this is the wrong thing to ask, but I need to know. Did either of us-?" He glanced at Ryo for a moment, and then back to her.

"You had twins, they were nine," she whispered, closing her eyes.

Kento grasped her in a very firm hug, "Thanks for telling me, I appreciate it…It's going to be fine, mei mei. You promised those kids such, and we'll make it that way. Just figure out what happened, we'll do the rest."

She nodded at his words, watching sadly as he walked out of the basement. Even after all this time he was _still_ looking after her, still watching her back. _'I've never earned him calling me his sister, nor his kind treatment of me as such. And even after my years of protesting the fact I don't deserve it, he refuses to listen. I'd be a mess without you Shuu.' _Somehow, she had a feeling he knew that.

Elayne wearily turned her attention to Ryo; through it all the Ronin of Wildfire had remained silent and understanding. While the others were busy having mental conversations over the information they were hearing, he had said nothing. He only stirred now, simply because they were left alone.

She answered it before he could ask, unable to look him in the face as she spoke, "You ended up with a son."

The Ronin Leader walked up to her, and put his arms around her, "He wasn't hers, but I take it Neo loved him as such?"

Surprise must've showed in her face, because he offered a cheerless chuckle, "They came from a future you didn't happen to exist in, not like you do now anyway. I'm not stupid Elayne, I just act that way."

"I never said you were, nor ever implied it," she buried her head into his shoulder, letting out a strangled sigh.

They remained like this for several minutes, until she pulled away, not before hugging him tightly, "I need a walk, Ry. I'll be back in a bit."

"All right," he watched her go with a slight shake of his head, he knew what that meant. She was going to be gone for several hours, off trying to find out what had happened and doing what she could to change it by herself. Heaven knew, if she felt something was not a Ronin issue there was no way she was going to place the burden on them. He sighed once more, and then went off to his room.

* * *

The Secondary Guardian walked off the porch, not at all surprised by the shadow that was now following her.

"Going to help me, Kay-chan?"

"Mhm, why I was waiting," the Lady Ancient remarked, querying, "What's the plan?"

"Do as much as we can, without getting caught."


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

"As much as we can without getting caught?" Kayura raised a fine-eyebrow at her fellow guardian.

Elayne gave a light shrug of her shoulders, "Supposedly interfering on such a level as I plan on doing, hypothetically speaking mind you, is forbidden."

"So my helping, hypothetically, is also not permissible?" the Lady Ancient queried, then when the young woman nodded, asked, "And exactly what is the punishment for getting caught, in theory?"

"Heh, you don't want to know," the Secondary Guardian commented, "But, we're not going to get caught so don't worry."

"How can you be so sure?" Kayura was frowning.

"How do I _ever_ know what's going to happen? The only reason I've ever had any idea about the future, is because I've already lived through it," she answered with a sigh.

"But I thought this was the future Neo came from, that it's different from ours?"

"Kay-chan, I adore you, but talking about time and time paradoxes only ever serves to make people's heads hurt and spin," Elayne said with a bit of a grin, "Her future is different from ours, but as a rule _that_ future, the one she came from, still exists. Anything more than that, is too complicated to explain; trust me, it's better just to accept that something's just are." [1]

The Lady Ancient gave a half-snort, "I'll take your word for it." There were certain things about their lives Kayura was sure she didn't want to know; how the time worked? That would be on the top of the list of things not-to-ever-desire-learning-to-understand.

The two women traveled together in silence for several minutes after this, Kayura mulling over things in her head. She couldn't help but think about Ian, and how much like Rowen he looked…But what had her so unsettled was his eyes… "Elayne?"

"Hm?" the young woman queried, after hearing the Ancient's Descendant call her name for a second time. Elayne halted in her walk, and turned to face the other.

"You said Ian was Rowen's son, and that you weren't going to play answer who did what with whom," Kayura shifted her weight from one foot to the other and bit at her bottom lip, "But…"

Elayne immediately knew where this line of questioning lead, and asked, "Who do you _think_ Ian's mother is, Kay?"

The Lady Ancient flushed, "Me." Her eyes then narrowed when the other guardian started to snigger.

"No _duh._"

There was a slight twitch to Kayura's eye, "So not only were you badgering Ro and I because of certain things in the past, but because of the future, too?"

The look of rage on her face was unmistakable, and Elayne merely turned back around and went back to walking, innocently whistling as she did so.

"You little b-" Kayura angrily huffed, not bothering to finish the statement.

Elayne remarked over her shoulder, "I know, but you guys would be _lost_ without me."

That the Lady Ancient couldn't argue with, not only would they be in a slight rut, things just wouldn't be as enjoyable…Of course, her words brought another point to the forefront of Kayura's mind.

"That being the case, why did you stay away for so long?"

The young woman didn't seem to be prepared for the question, and she visibly flinched struggled to come up with a response, "I just…I wasn't sure what to do with myself, or how to cope-" She drew in a shaky breath, "I've been bombarded with all these damn emotions I never had to deal with before, ever since I woke up. I couldn't handle anymore. All I knew was that I needed to get away. It's all I could do, really."

"Were you going to come back at all?"

"If Ryo hadn't come to collect me, and there was no issue? No, probably not. As Universe I was always independent, relied solely on orders to get by. I might be more 'human' this time, but I wouldn't have come back unless I knew I was wanted. I still depend on your acceptance of me," she grinned a little, "Now more than I did before."

Kayura gave a shake of her head, "You never cease to amaze me." _'And amuse,' _she thought to herself; it had certainly kept their existences from being boring, that was for certain.

"Ya, I'm just something else," all of a sudden her demeanor changed, and she came to an abrupt halt. "Okay, we should be out far enough."

"Didn't Rini arrive and go back a certain way? I assumed the others arrived through at the same point, so why?"

Elayne merely offered a smile at this, "Just trust me, Kay. We really don't have time for me to explain."

"I was just curious," the Lady Ancient commented, "I trust you. I have absolutely no idea what's going on, but I certainly trust you." She grinned at the woman, and offered her a wink.

The Secondary Guardian permitted herself a chuckle, before unclasping the Cimmerian crystal from her neck, and holding it outstretched in her hand, "OI! **_Chronos! _**I have a _bone_ to pick with you. So open the gates or I'll be breaking bones, most notably _yours._"

The sky opened up with a great haste, and Kayura gave her friend a dull look, "Must you threaten **everything**?"

Elayne threw the woman a grin as she clasped the jewel back around her neck, "When you have the reputation as baddest bitch in the universe, you kinda have to live up to everyone's expectations."

The Lady Ancient gave an exasperated sigh, "Forget I _even_ asked."

"No problem," she quipped, before jumping into the portal, leaving her to follow suit. Once both guardians were through, the portal shut and the sky returned to normal.

* * *

**Later**

Cobalt-blue eyes scanned the seemingly unending corridor of doorways with apprehension and concern. But, if Elayne was bothered, she wasn't showing it, not that Kayura was at all surprised by this.

"So," after what had to be a half-hour of silence, the Lady Ancient decided it was time to talk, "We had to hurry, and it's taking so long because?"

"Have to find the right door, for the right moment in time Kay, it takes a bit of doing," she answered, eyes moving from each one. "Time doesn't move the same here, it's at a total and complete stand still; it's when you step through a door, and move forward, or back, and then return to your original time, that takes so long. There's a limit on how far you can go back, if we waited any longer the door we're looking for wouldn't be here now."

"Ah. And I've been wondering, if Pluto is supposed to guard the gates of time, and she's with us, and has been for quite sometime now…Who's watching all of this?"

"The original time guardian," here the Guardian Scout slowed her pace, carefully scrutinizing the next set of doors. "She won't bother us, as she is aware of why we have to be here."

Kayura came to a halt when Elayne did eyeing the door her friend was currently studying. It was unlike the others, they had been older looking in some way, framed differently, but this one had marbled-ice pillars framing it…All in all, it looked and felt eerie, "Is this?"

"One way to find out," the Secondary Guardian remarked, as she pushed the door open.

The Last of the Ancient's descendants was quick to refocus her eyes, quick to take in the scene being displayed before her. The image looked as though it were a mirror, except it was not her reflection staring back at her.

What was depicted was some sort of building, that was in great disrepair…But there was nothing there. Wait, her eyes quickly caught the movement and focused on it. She blinked when the mirror seemed to zoom in on the spot in response to her action, but she disregarded it. It mattered little right now.

"It's Mia," Kayura blinked, "And the kids. So, I go for her, and you take care of the runts? That ceiling is what prevented the rest from coming through, right?"

"Ya it did," Elayne answered with a nod, "And works for me. We have to wait until Iya, Ian, Addy, and Kin are through though. Intervening a moment too soon will do more harm than good."

"Understood," Kayura said as she stretched out her legs and arms, then stood at rapt attention watching and waiting for the moment to intercede.

Mia was quick to give the children last minute instructions but what…Well her voice was muted so Kayura didn't catch what was said. The red-head then handed Adrian a note, and then he and the two eldest of the Ronin children went through a portal that had opened up…And that's when the ceiling gave way.

Kayura and Elayne had no need to further communicate, both acting solely on instinct as they reacted; going through the mirror-like door and hauling the innocents out of the way

* * *

Nasutei coughed heavily and tried her best to see through the debris, once the smoke cloud cleared she blinked in surprise. She had not at all expected to see that face, here, "Kayura?!"

The Lady Ancient offered a grin, "Yes, and no. I'm not _your_ Kayura."

The woman blinked at hearing thus, and then quickly snapped her head to where the children had been. There should've been nothing more than a pile of rubble, but they were still there and the person with them. Her eyes went wide, "An!"

Elayne smirked, as she lowered the barrier she placed around the three children, "Hey Tei. Got your message."

She let out a sigh of relief, "Then, they're okay. But why are you here so quickly?"

"They," Kayura murmured, "Were the only ones to make it through. It's why we jumped back to this point."

"We came to get you rascals," Elayne said, attention on the children now, adding over her shoulder to the woman, "And do what we can to help here. Main order of business, being…"

"We need to have a talk with the elements," Kayura finished…Just from the tone of both women's voices it was easy to tell, said talk would be more like a tongue-lashing from hell.

It was just the first of many things to be done, and while they could not fix all the problems, they could give this future a small fighting chance. It was better than nothing, and with any luck they could figure out what had gone so desperately wrong here, and whether or not it'd have an impact on the past…At least, both of them hoped to be able to accomplish what was needed.

…Neither guardian could've known, that it was already too late…That the future's problem had already slipped through the cracks to their past…

…They'd find out soon enough.

* * *

[1] This is in reference to the million of shows that cover time, traveling through time, affecting time, etcetera etcetera and leave everyone's heads whirling around. Most notably, it's reference to the million Stargate SGI episodes dealing with meddling in time that left my poor brother looking something like this: O_o


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

**Credit goes to Siffy for her help.**

Cye cast a glance at the young boy soundly sleeping on his bed before returning to the sketch he was working on. Really, he was still a little bewildered at all he had heard that day. He could scarcely believe it. Sure, he had planned on having children one day in the future. But, it was a tad disconcerting to have the future right there in front of your face.

Of course, that was not what he was currently dwelling on; his mind was more focused on what had brought the children to their time. The future they came from wasn't their particular future, but it still existed. The question that bothered him was how that future could, well any future really, with so many warriors existing in it…How…

"Could things have fallen that far apart?" He asked this question aloud, going through now and shading in the parts of the sketch that needed to be shaded.

_'It's a good question,' _the bearer of Strata brought in.

Cye's lips formed a thin scowl, _'Meh, sorry. Hadn't realized I projected that.' _He put down his pencil and leaned back into the chair, stretching his arms out to loosen up the muscles that had tightened.

_'It's all right, we're pondering over the same things as it is,' _Sage murmured, _'I don't think things fell apart, I don't think they were ever together to start with.'_

The Torrent Ronin was frowning, as Rowen was quick to voice the thoughts he was having, _'Okay, I get that they came from Neo's future. But what exactly do you mean?'_

_'Think about it To,' _there was a slight ridicule in the swordman's tone, _'What information did we get that they never had?'_

_'Oh hell,' _Cye put two-and-two together and came up with the answer, _'No one ever told them that Akemliek was not a Senshi problem!'_

_'Exactly, which means we never took up point.'_

_'Until it was way too late to do anything,' _the archer finished. _'No wonder Neo came back to this time, and look how much more desperate things have become there. If the kids had to be sent here.'_

Sage gave an affirmation to this, _'Riynd merely helped to worsen an already bad situation, there's no telling what kind of state the future is in now.'_

No reply was made from the Ronin of Torrent his attention having immediately snapped over to the bed, where Adrian was crying out in his sleep.

"Mommy, where are you?"

Cye was quick to get up and make his way to the bed, sitting down on it, and placing a hand on the child's shoulder, "Addy? Addy, wake-up you're dreaming."

But the boy did not stir, too closely held in the confines of whatever he was seeing, "Daddy…You can't leave. Please don't go."

"Adrian," the Warrior of Trust tapped into his elemental abilities, and proceeded to _shove_ the nightmare off.

Tears were streaming down Adrian's face as he sat bolt upright and glanced at Cye, "You left…You're never coming back. You promised everything would be okay…That Mommy would see you again and then you went away, and then she was gone too."

His tiny body was racked with sobs as he continued, "They took her away! You always promised, and always came back. But you didn't this time, and you and Mommy left me behind."

The Ronin of Torrent, by this point, had the boy in his arms and was holding him to reassure him, "It'll be okay. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left. I don't know why I didn't come back…"

"She won't let you," Adrian whispered out voice quivering, "She's cold…I don't like her."

"Who?"

"Riynd."

Cye's eyes went wide, _'Guys, are you still?'_

_'Ya, and Ian woke up from a nightmare as well…But he won't say anything, keeps shooting down any of my attempts to talk.'_

Sage was exceedingly tempted to point out that Ian was the son of an archer, but he refrained, '_Aiyana didn't wake, I merely moved to push it off, and she grabbed on to me. But it sounds like Adrian had direct contact with Riynd. From what was said earlier, I know Aiyana didn't.'_

_'Ian didn't either.'_

"Adrian," Cye pulled his head back a little so he could glance at the child that was still clinging to him, "How do you know about her?"

He hiccupped and mumbled into the Torrent Ronin's chest, "She tried to attack…Came around before the elements did. But-" he sounded drowsy, "She couldn't hurt us, me and Tav and Takeo." With that he was sound asleep.

* * *

Rowen listened to this conversation and looked to the boy on the bed, "Ian? The armors, do they-?"

"Yes," he answered quietly, he was pale, his knees drawn up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them. "Universe made the deal that you asked her to make; that none of your blood descents would have to wear the armors…That you would be their last bearers. So, we can't wear them. But they protect us anyway, out of respect and loyalty to you."

The Ronin of Strata relayed this information to the other two, as they had not been listening to his conversation with Ian. He then closed the connection and turned his full attention to the young boy. "Want to talk about it?"

The twelve-year-old stiffened at this and said in a flat tone, "No."

The archer gave an impatient sigh, hell he was _so_ not good with children, "Look kid…"

"I am _not_ a kid!" Ian bristled at this a scowl on his face.

Rowen gave an easy retort to this, "You're a year younger than I was when I fought Talpa, you're a _kid_. Look, I get that I'm not your dad; not yet. But if you need me, you have me all right?" The archer shifted uncomfortably, he had a hard time getting those words to leave his mouth, but he had somehow managed to get them out. Really, he felt horrible for the boy and wanted to do what he could to make it easier.

"Why?" the anger had been replaced with the hurt the child had been hiding, "Why would you even _want_ me in this time, when he left in mine?"

"Ian," the Ronin of Strata had placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "I never would have left you, and that's how I know your Dad wouldn't have either. He had no choice; he did what he had to, to protect you. As long as he isn't dead, he'll make it back…And even if he is, that doesn't mean he'll ever leave you. I'm not going to, either." Here a smirk played across the archer's lips, "You want proof of that? Ask your Uncle Ryo about how bad I was when we were in the Nether Realm."

These words actually brought a smile to the boy's face, as he grinned, "Oh he mentions it _often._ Mainly, because of you and Mom." Suddenly, Ian realized what he said and shut his mouth with a firm snap, hurriedly diverting his gaze to the wall.

But, the large _thud _he heard caused him to snap his attention back to the Strata Ronin and once he did so, the boy grimaced. Ouch.

Rowen had ungracefully fallen to the floor, and he was currently staring up at the ceiling back in pain, head throbbing, and an exceedingly _pissed off_ expression on his face, "ELAYNE! I'm going to **_KILL_** you!"

Ian could only do one thing and that was succumb to the laughter that had bubbled up inside of him.

He quieted though when Rowen sat up and remained silent for a few minutes, before saying, "Thanks…Dad." It was his way of acknowledging and accepting the Strata Ronin's earlier words.

"No problem kiddo," Rowen ruffled the boy's hair, "Try and get some more sleep."

Ian's eyelids had already started to drop and he let out a yawn, "I will." He then crawled back under the covers, curled up, and was instantly asleep.

The archer could only offer a sad shake of his head at this and then sent a death-glare to the wall when he thought about _how_ much Elayne was going to rub it in. Okay no, she'd already been rubbing in the fact he and Kayura were "perfect for each other" now she was going to be cackling maniacally about it until they got hitched, and had the kid….And at that thought, Strata's bearer went BEET red.

* * *

Aiyana woke up an hour later; she kept her breathing slow and methodical feigning sleep, until she could recall where she was. The answer came to her immediately and she visibly relaxed. More so at a presence she had not felt in a long time…Granted he wasn't technically her father, but at the same instance he was. She could hear his breathing, which wasn't all that different from hers…

"Faker," both remarked at the same time.

Sage chuckled and opened his eyes, glancing at the girl with a deal of fondness, "Yeah, you're mine."

"Just with Mom's death-glare," the girl quipped but became solemn, "Thanks, for before." She was referencing the nightmare he had managed to untangle her from.

"Un, besides, isn't that part of a Dad's job?" the Ronin of Halo teasingly queried as he tweaked the girl on her nose.

Aiyana gave a shake of her head, "You're not one yet."

"Oh? What do you call what I did to your Uncle Ryo, then?"

Aiyana let out a light laugh and gave him a devious smirk, "Mothering. What you do to An-nee-san, is _grandmothering_."

Sage opened his mouth but could find no words to retort with. He could only stare at the girl, a slight tint coming to his cheeks as he realized who her mother might be. His mouth shut with a firm snap as the tint started to grow. The statement…The eyes…Oh _hell. _He was thankful she was mainly blind because he was _sure_ he was a tomato by now.

Luckily, Aiyana seemed oblivious of the thoughts running through his head, as she merely snuggled closer to him, "I'm glad you were here…All of you. I've tried so hard to be strong, but I don't know what I would've done…" she trailed off.

The Ronin of Halo did not at all find the situation to be awkward. All he knew that was she came from the future and was _his_ daughter. That was all he needed to know, and all he cared to know. Hence his being comfortable with treating her as such; like Kento commented Seiji _had_ been a sucker for kids in the past.

"You would've been fine, Aiyana. And now that you are here, you don't have to worry about it. Leave the rest to us."

The girl gave a nod and let her eyes slip shut slowly drifting back off to sleep. Sage let out a light chuckle at this, glancing at the clock on his nightstand… Well, it was only eight, but going to bed that early didn't happen to be too much of a problem for him. It had been a hell of a day.

The swordsman's violet gaze went to the window for a brief moment; he had felt Elayne and Kayura leave before. He could only wonder as to where they had gone as their signatures had completely disappeared.

Well no, he knew better…The two had gone to the future. All Sage was worried about was 'what' they intended to do and how 'much.' He let out a sigh; he would just have to trust the two guardians to not push themselves past their limits…

Yeah, needless to say he wasn't very comforted, _either._


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight:**

**Thanks again goes to Siffy. **

Kayura felt totally and completely exhausted now as she and Elayne walked back to the mansion. Her eyes were partially closed, and her feet were absolutely killing her. Actually, she didn't think there was a part of her that _wasn't _aching.

"I bet they're going to have kittens," the Lady Ancient remarked as she shifted the weight of the child sleeping in her arms. It was a marvel to her really, he was so small, and far too light for his frame. Yet, what amused her most was how he looked. Whereas the other children resembled their fathers in slight ways, a matching eye-color, or hair-color, perhaps a similar skin tone, and maybe one or two traits that the Ronin had when they were little…This boy she held now looked _exactly_ like Ryo.

Elayne was walking next to her carrying the twins, she gave a soft snort, "Only if you tell them _what_ we were doing."

"I get that time doesn't move when you are in between points, and it only moves when you go back and forth, but some amount of time had to have passed here. We were there for two days!"

"Ya, let me see," the girl looked to her watch, "It's eleven. We've been gone a little over four hours."

"Too bad it doesn't feel like four," the Last of the Ancient's Descendants mumbled in complaint.

Elayne chuckled at that, "Just be glad Neo-Queen Serenity said we could go back and take a break."

"That was only because you gave her an ugly look," Kayura pointed out, saying, "I'm glad we were able to save the children, and help stabilize the future somewhat. I don't rightly give a _damn_ about Senshi politics."

"Kay, had this talk, baddest bitch in the universe, I've got a reputation to uphold," the young woman said with a smirk, then laughed lightly, "Amen to that."

She took notice of how badly the Lady Ancient was starting to droop and called out, "Dais! Come give me a hand here, please."

"You rang?' the Summer Seasonal queried as he materialized in front of the pair.

Elayne gave a nod, "Yes, I need you to take these," she handed him the twins, saying with a small smirk, "Don't drop your godchildren."

Dais could only blink at her and Kayura let out what sounded like a low laugh, "You're kidding!"

"Nope," the young woman said gently taking Ryo's son from Kayura, "You go and get some sleep Kay. I'll make sure these little runts get to where they need to be."

"Works for me, see you tomorrow," the Lady Ancient said, before teleporting off to her room.

"Pick your jaw up off the ground, and come along Dais," Elayne told the stupefied Seasonal as she walked past him.

The white-haired man shook himself and followed after her.

* * *

They walked in relative silence for several minutes, before Dais attempted to break the silence. He could tell she was tired and her mind occupied with a half-dozen other things, but he doubted he would get a chance to talk with her in the coming days.

"You had us worried."

"Hm?" Elayne shook herself out of her thoughts and slowed in her walk, cocking her head to look at him, "…Why do I have this feeling you're not referencing the four hour disappearing act?"

"Because I am not referring to it, I mean the complete and total aversion of us for weeks," the Summer Seasonal clarified. "The way you left was bad enough, but to go so long with not saying a word? It is unlike you."

"Was," Elayne mumbled.

"What?"

"It _was_ unlike me," she gave an impatient sigh, "Jiro, I'm no different than you guys now. Whereas I've never had a personality to assimilate, this time I did…Universe might have been able to handle it, but I sure as _hell_ couldn't."

She started to walk forward again, "I don't think I _can_. Even now, I'm still having a hard time trying to come to terms with everything about the past. All my failures…"

"You did _not_ fail," Dais informed her slightly angered at hearing her say such a thing, "We were young, we were stupid, and we didn't listen. None of that is your fault; get it through your skull. I swear to god, Shuu and Seiji influenced you way too much, you were nowhere near this thick the first and second lifetime."

Elayne chuckled at his attempt at humor, "See that is why I laughed when Kento said at least one of you was a good influence on me. You guys _ruined_ me; I used to be this sweet girl, before I got stuck with you all."

"Believe it when I see proof," the white-haired man said with a grin, laughing when she scowled at him.

"You better watch it, Jiro," she teasingly warned, "Or certain teammates of yours are going to find that verification they want." At his blank look she slowly elaborated, "You know? Incriminating evidence that you and Lita are-"

He went red in the face, "I get the picture!"

"_Actually_, there are several pictures."

Dais now wore a lidded-look, "You take blackmail to a whole new level. Then again, you take _most_ things to a whole new level."

"You give such nice compliments," Elayne chirped at him sniggering when he outright glared at her. She let out a sigh and shook her head, "I'm sorry I worried you. I just…I _had_ to go, Jiro, I couldn't stay here and try to sort through the emotions. I needed time by myself to do that. You can understand that, can't you?"

Dais gave a nod, "All too well. I merely wanted to let you know, that in the future, we are here. Nothing more than that."

Elayne grinned at that, "Now who's starting to sound like Seiji or Shuu?"

The Summer Seasonal cleared his throat and vied for a change in topic, he looked down at the pair he was holding, and then back to her, "So, I'm their Godfather? Kento's joke last week that I'd be the godfather ended up becoming a real thing, huh?"

"Mhm. When everyone found out, they reacted about the same way you did earlier. Apparently, the two of you decided it'd be funny as hell, and I agree," Elayne sniggered, "The looks on their faces? So worth the wait."

To this Dais smirked obviously pleased, "Priceless, eh?"

"Very much so," the young woman assured him.

"You look tired," the Summer Seasonal was frowning, he had finally gotten close enough to where he could see her, and she looked worse off than what Kayura had. "Wouldn't it be easier to teleport back?"

"It would be, but I expended too much energy while we were gone. Don't have anything left now."

"Ah," Dais commented, he should have thought about that sooner. He halted and then teleported them inside the mansion, "Better?"

"Much, thanks," she was exceedingly appreciative, and she walked over and placed the boy she'd been holding on the couch. She then stood up and stretched popping her neck as she did so, some energy coming back to her, "Now, I'm good to go."

"Thanks for carrying the terrible two, let me drop them off on their father," she said as she took the twins back from him.

"I'd remark that I'm surprised they slept that long, and through all our talking, but, I _know_ you," the Summer Seasonal remarked, asking, "Want me to watch him?"

"Ya, that and they've been through a lot," the young woman said, "Nope, Blaze'll do that. I have a feeling he won't be letting-" She paused as the tiger walked into the room and laid down next to the couch.

_'Course I won't, new cub for me to watch. Aside from that…Pest.'_

Dais chuckled at the disgruntled statement made in obvious reference to Kin who'd been harassing Blaze for hours. The only thing that had gotten him to stop was Byakuen threatening to leave the golden cub with Kouken-Oh…_That_ had worked. The Summer Seasonal gave a slight wave to Elayne, and then faded out.

Elayne merely shook her head and headed up the stairs, being mindful not to tread too loudly and wake up the entire house. Though she was sure a few inhabitants were still awake, even at this hour.

* * *

**Earlier**

"Starting to think you weren't coming at all," Cye remarked in amusement when Kento walked into the room. It had to be around ten-thirty now; the Ronin of Hardrock was normally in the room by 9:45 and no later than that. Even if he didn't have work to do at the restaurant the next day, it was just habit…Cye found it odd for him to break it.

Hardrock's bearer seemed a little down-trodden but was quick to respond, "Oh hey." He hadn't thought the Torrent Ronin would be awake, "How is he?"

"Sleeping peacefully for the time being, Torrent should be able to keep anymore nightmares from springing up," the Ronin of Trust answered. The man tilted his head a frown on his face, "You okay Kento?"

The Warrior of Strength flopped down on his bed, and let out a sigh, "Ya, I'm fine."

Now concern was in Cye's face his frown having deepened, eyes tinged with worry…He knew for a fact something was wrong by this half-hearted dismissal, "Want to run that by me again? You sure as hell aren't acting _'fine.'_"

"Shin," Hardrock's bearer chuckled in amusement, "You worry too much."

To this the Ronin of Trust gave an indignant snort but refused to be distracted, "Stop beating around the bush, Shuu. Just tell me what's bothering you."

The other Ronin let out what sounded like a strangled sigh, "Just worried about the future. Their time is a mess, so is it unavoidable?"

"No," Cye shook his head, "Nothing is unavoidable or unchangeable. But they didn't come from our future, they came from the one Neo tried to change without interfering with the time-line."

"I get that," Kento murmured, "I just wanted to know if their's could be changed any."

Silence settled over the room for a while and Torrent's bearer figured that the Warrior of Strength had most likely fallen asleep…Until his voice broke through the quiet.

"Hey Cye?"

"Mm?" the Water Ronin shifted a little, pretty much caught in the death grip Adrian had him in. Even though the child was sound asleep, he had an amazingly powerful grasp.

Kento tried to pick out the right words, made sure it sounded right in his head, before he spoke them aloud, "Is it possible for us to ever have semi-normal lives?"

The frown was immediately back on his face, he'd been completely unprepared for the question. What was going on here? Really, he had never seen the Ronin of Hardrock like this before…Well, not this particular lifetime anyway. The only time he had ever been in such a dour mood, was when…Cye suddenly understood, "You asked Elayne if you had any kids?"

"Twins," the Warrior of Strength tried to lighten the mood, and had a smirk on his face, "Apparently, I know ho-"

"Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence," the bearer of Torrent had managed to get one of his arms free, and now he was threatening his best friend with a pillow.

"Bah, you're such a prude," the Hardrock Ronin snorted out, but he soon became solemn. "I just…I can't imagine having to be a warrior, and a father; and putting my responsibilities as a Ronin…Trooper, before my family. Hell, I can't see any of us doing that, but apparently that's what their dad's did."

"I can see it," Cye quietly stated. He was silent for several long minutes and then said, "Except, it's not a matter of putting the duties as a warrior before the family. It's a matter of fighting for them, to protect them and keep them safe."

"Apparently," Kento bitterly stated, "Our future selves did a shitty job."

"Kento-" the Water Ronin looked to the door as a knock came.

"I'll get it, he's glued to you," the Warrior of Strength commented glad to have a diversion from the topic. He was regretting bringing it up, he should have never said anything.

Kento walked to the door and then opened it blinking in surprise at who was standing there, "Mei mei?" He had felt her and Kayura leave earlier, he was certain they all had, but he had never felt either guardian's presence return.

"Member what I said earlier? I take it back."

"Huh?" the bearer of Hardrock blinked further and then took notice of the two children she happened to be holding. Then looked back to Elayne, but he could think of nothing to say.

Elayne grinned, "They _are_ nine and hellions too boot." She handed the boy to him, "That's Takeo."

Kento looked the sleeping boy over, hey now Takeo definitely had his skin tone, but that was about it. He wondered what color eyes the boy might have. It was hard to see in the minimal light, but noticed the boy's hair was midnight-blue with cerulean tints. The Ronin of Hardrock quickly looked back to Elayne, opened his mouth, and then closed it.

If she noticed she didn't mention it, merely walked past him into the room with the little girl, "This is Tavia."

"Hey, wow she looks like…"

"Ya Chunny, when she was that age," Elayne finished with a grin; "Also has your unruly hair too." She placed the girl down on the bed, adding, "They're not identical twins, in looks anyway. Personality wise? Your Mom…A _lot_ of your Mom."

Cye let out a snigger, making it known to her that he was indeed awake, "We're doomed then."

"You've _no_ idea," Elayne commented, she knew the guys were going to be in for it when this pair woke up, "With any luck, they'll sleep in tomorrow. Need me to grab-?"

Kento placed Takeo down next to his sister and shook his head, "Nah, I can get the sleeping mat out mei mei, don't worry about it."

"Okay then," she blinked when he got her in a bear hug, "Gege?"

"Thanks," he murmured out, and he knew she understood what the thank-you was for, "Did I tell you I was glad you were back?"

"Mhm, but I don't mind hearing it again," she commented with a small laugh, as she returned the hug. Her violet gaze went to Cye, "Everything okay?"

"Well, I've lost feeling in most of my left side," the Torrent Ronin admitted, "And I think the blood flow has permanently stopped to my arms. As for Adrian, he had a nightmare before, they all did, but managed to push it off."

Elayne walked over and placed a hand to the child's forehead, her eyes slipped shut and she concentrated on the lines. She mumbled something under her breath, and the crystal chimed as if an answer then fell silent.

She pulled back, her eyes open, but slightly hazy, "There, all of you and the armors can relax. Mass protection spells, so glad I paid attention in that class."

"I am too, thank-you," Cye appreciatively said; he and Torrent had been working to keep the nightmare from returning, it was the same for Sage and Rowen…Being able to have a break from that strain was a relief.

Elayne had started for the door by that point, "No problem, I'll see you guys later. Get some sleep."

"Same to you, mei mei," Hardrock's bearer called after her, just before the door shut behind her.

Cye waited until he heard her footsteps fade down the hall and permitted Kento a few minutes to look over his "kids" before remarking, "They're cute." He then slyly commented, "And, Takeo looks like…"

Kento flushed, "Shut up Shin! Unless you want me to badger you about _who else _Adrian resembles."

Cye shut his mouth with a firm snap and hastily diverted his gaze to the wall to hide his pink cheeks.

The Ronin of Hardrock gave a smug grin at his triumphant win, and then went and pulled the sleeping mat out from the closet.

* * *

Ryo had been staring at the ceiling to his room for hours now his mind running in circles. Pouring over things…Past, present, and future. The Ronin of Wildfire let out a frustrated sigh. His emotions were eating at him right now…Especially the guilt.

One image kept replaying in his head, the look of hurt and distress Elayne had shown earlier when she'd been talking to them about the future. He wondered if bringing her back here had been a mistake. The timing had been absolutely perfect, his mind sarcastically bit out at him, he'd brought her back just in time to deal with an issue that was seemingly uncontrollable.

He felt like a heel, actually, no he felt worse than that…A hell of a lot worse to be honest.

His gaze immediately went to the door when someone knocked, but he made no move to open it; the quick glance he stole at his alarm clock told him it was midnight. Maybe, maybe whoever it was would think he was asleep. There were only a few night owls left in the mansion with the Senshi gone, and really, Ryo was not in the mood to talk to anyone at all.

Five minutes later the knock came again as well as a semi-impatient voice, "Ry, I _know_ you're awake in there. Get up, and let me in already."

"Elayne?" The Ronin Leader frowned as he hastily got to his feet, and opened the door. He hadn't sensed her before now; he idly wondered when she'd gotten back, "Hey."

She frowned for a brief moment having easily picked up on the emotions he was feeling, but decided to respect his privacy, "Here, he's yours." She proceeded to thrust the sleeping boy at Wildfire's bearer.

"M-mine?" Ryo's eyes were filled with wonder as he took the boy from her, and looked him over. Wow…It was like looking at a picture of himself when he was younger.

"Hiroki. Most times everyone just calls him Hiro."

"So, you and Kayura were successful?" Ryo queried as he looked back up at her.

"Did all we could for right then…We'll be leaving again tomorrow; there will only be so much she and I can help change there. Once that is done, the rest is up to them, and we'll all have to worry about doing what we can in this time to make sure that future never happens."

Ryo gave a nod in understanding to this as he turned and started to move further into his room, "Coming?"

"That an invite?"

"What do you think?" He had placed Hiroki on the one bed, and now turned around to face her only to find that she was nearly pressed against him, "Uh…Ah…"

"I think," Elayne murmured quietly running a hand over his face…A small grin came to her lips when he leaned into the touch, and then just as quickly retracted and flushed starting to back away from her.

She advanced a step and he took one back, "You…"

Ryo's mind was drawing a complete blank on something to say to her, anything to say to her...

"Need," Elayne chuckled when he fell back onto the other bed that she had pushed him towards, his face was red, "To get some sleep."

The Wildfire Ronin flushed further not at all pleased with the fact she had put yet another one up on him…Perhaps a little disappointed, "I hate you."

"You've said that before," Elayne laughed grinning as she added, "Oh well, hateful angry sex is better than none. Sides, you _like_ it rough."

Ryo went fuchsia all the way to the tips of his ears, "What?!" He squeaked this out, mindful of the sleeping child; he kept his voice down. Though he should've realized the child wasn't going to wake anytime soon, hence Elayne saying such things now.

"You're just such an easy target; I missed my flustering you daily," she let out a chuckle but it faded. "I mean it Ryo, you need sleep. Stop pondering over the fate of the world and get some rest."

The Ronin of Wildfire was quiet for several moments, his tone of voice was timid when he spoke next…So odd to hear it, "Will you stay?"

The young woman was frowning as there was only one reason he would be asking that, "Your foresight?" He gave a nod, and she asked, "Have you told anyone else?" When he shook his head no, she gave a sigh, "Oh, Ry. What am I to do with you?"

"It's been off and on for the past two weeks," he admitted rubbing at his arm, "I didn't know what…Couldn't make sense out of it…" His vivid-blue gaze went to Hiroki's sleeping form, "Till now."

Elayne nodded her understanding, "All right, let me get cleaned up first, and I'll be back."

The Wildfire Ronin looked up at her surprised; he hadn't expected her to agree to it.

"When have I ever denied you anything?"

A sly grin wove it's way onto Ryo's face, "Well, now that you mention it-"

"Do not _answer_ that," she glared at him.

He settled himself onto the bed and chuckled in amusement watching as she left the room.

* * *

Elayne sighed heavily as she walked into her bathroom. What a day…She really needed to crash…

She quickly grasped the sink basin for balance, "Think I lost a little too much blood today."

_'Don't you normally?' _came Simoria's cryptic comment.

The young woman dutifully ignored the being as she held up her left arm, and peeled off the fingerless arm warmer that she had grabbed in the future. An annoyed hiss escaped her lips, "Falling down on the job?" The cut on her wrist was still bleeding, and as she removed the other she could see the slice mark was only now closing over. Some of the skin was paler than that of her normal, revealing the knife marks that had been made.

_'I can't heal everything, neither can the crystal.'_

"That's bull," the Secondary Guardian tartly stated pulling out a bottle of peroxide, and cleaning the cuts, then sutures so she could close the open one over herself. "You just want me to get caught with bloody wrists."

Simoria was silent and Elayne gritted her teeth shaking her head as she stalked out of the bathroom. She got out of her ruined clothes changing into fresh ones. She grabbed a pair of arm warmers she'd had for ages and slipped them overtop of the bandages. She didn't need Ryo seeing them he was under enough stress as it was.

"We've been over this before. I don't need them knowing such things. What they don't know can't hurt them."

_'Yes, the only one that it hurts is you. But that's the way you want it, right?'_

Elayne's eyes narrowed what had brought that comment about? At this point, she didn't care as she ripped the chain from her neck, and left the jewel on her dresser.

"Even _you_ can't protect me from myself," and without waiting for a response she left the room.

_'No,'_ Simoria admitted to the open air, _'But I know they can.'  
_

* * *

_A/N: So the plot thickens! Hope you enjoyed your four-chapter update! Want updates sooner, don't be afraid to PM me. I will forget this is up here, trust me. lol! -LG  
_


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

A low moan escaped her lips as she rolled over in her bed and cobalt-blue eyes opened to gaze blearily up at her ceiling. Kayura let out a soft sigh and cast off the covers then rubbed at her eyes to rid them of sleep. Her entire body ached and she shook her head as she got to her feet.

"I can't believe Elayne made a living out of this."

She walked over to her dresser and pulled out fresh clothes and walked to the bathroom. No, she could not imagine that, or being stuck doing this for a living. It was one thing she was thankful for; she didn't have to do it. Kayura was well aware of the fact it should have been her job and responsibility.

"She's always making deals to get us out of things," the Lady Ancient mused shutting the door to the bathroom behind her, "Can't decide if she's insanely loyal or just insane."

Oh well, maybe it was better to not make up her mind on that one.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, yes she had felt the need to indulge in a very long soak; she made her way down the hall. A small frown quickly framed her face…Should she? Her eyes rested on the door as she thought it over.

Well she could possibly…The Seasonals weren't around to jeer at her. The older men had been spending more time away from the mansion since their memories had returned.

Granted, Anubis hadn't been around that much to begin with but even Dais, Cale, and Sekhmet, were gone with an increased frequency now. Then about a week ago the men had announced they were 'officially' moving out.

All that meant to Kayura was that the Seasonals had gone back to their former long-standing girlfriends, picking back up their relationships where they had been left off.

At the thought of the word 'relationship' Kayura rubbed at her ears, as it brought something to her attention…Her and _Touma._ She went red in the face, and then rubbed at it. Oh boy, why did she have to think about _that_?

In the first lifetime she and the archer had been pretty decent friends. During the second there had been a great deal of animosity between them. _'This time I practically skewered him alive,' _Kayura mentally grumbled.

She was currently cussing out her hormones because she was certain they were causing this situation to become worse.

"All I want to do is check on Ian," she further groused as if saying it aloud might magically make her emotions controllable. Yet, the little thought was there and refused to remain silent: "Ya you tried to kill him, were actually close to succeeding too. But, you marry him **_and_** have his kid!"

Kayura let out a moan; she really hated that inner voice. One day she was going to find a way to strangle it to death.

After warring with herself for another five minutes she finally gave up, and turned the door knob slipping into the room. It took no time at all for her eyes to adjust to the dimly lit room. A small grin curved its way onto her lips as she saw Ian sleeping next to Rowen. It was adorable.

She wished she had a camera because the pose was too cute. The Lady Ancient was also a little surprised because the archer was obviously awake. She couldn't refrain from asking it though, "You're up?"

Rowen had stared at the door when it opened, and his cheeks went a little red when he saw that it was Kayura. Then when she noticed he was currently conscious he felt his cheeks grow hotter.

"Y-yeah. Went to bed a little too early for my tastes. Been up for…Ah-maybe two hours. He's sleeping like a log though."

"D'uh, he's _yours_," Kayura said with a snort, "He'd sleep through a Nether Realm invasion, I bet."

The Ronin of Strata opened his mouth and just as quickly snapped it shut. He knew the pointlessness of trying to get into a verbal sparring match with the Lady Ancient. Not only would she succeed in making him look like an idiot she would also fluster him even further.

So instead, he decided to change the topic, if only slightly, "So, uh, where did you and Elayne go?"

Kayura gave a loose shrug of her shoulders before flopping down onto the floor, then neatly folded her legs beneath her and placed her hands in her lap.

"Future," she finally answered, "Elayne wanted to see what we could help to fix. First thing being saving the other Elemental children, which we did. Then we went and deposited them at the Crystal Palace. Neo-Queen Serenity was actually glad to see us. Some of the court not so much, but she didn't give a damn really."

"Serena actually said that?"

Kayura nodded, "Apparently Uni is an extremely bad influence, and capable of making any goof a serious will-tolerate-absolutely-no-crap-from-anyone kind of person."

"I'm sure you helped," the archer snorted.

To that Kayura merely beamed at him, and Rowen felt his ears start to burn.

_'Crap, does she have to-Ugh. Where the hell is my mind at?'_

Kayura seemed oblivious to his current thoughts and continued on with her explanation, "So after we did that, made sure the kids were safe, we went and gave the protective barrier encircling the city a boost. Then we went on to the fun stuff, tracking down the elements." Here the Lady Ancient was smirking, "I've never seen Elayne so pissed off, she called them every foul name possible. And I got to chew, so it worked for me."

Rowen inwardly sighed at hearing this, as it came as absolutely no surprise to him, _'I would like her for that. WAH? When did I start admitting that?' _The Ronin of Strata just sat there and blinked in bewilderment at his mental comment. He did not just- no, no he didn't.

"-And that's about all we could do for then, we're heading back today," she finished, suddenly tilting her head at the Ronin of Strata…Somehow she didn't think he was listening to her. "Rowen?"

"H-huh?" he snapped his attention back to the present, hurriedly abandoning his out-of-line thoughts.

The Lady Ancient was frowning, "Are you feeling okay? Not only are you zoning, but you also look flushed."

The archer felt the warmth on his cheeks get hotter as she said this, embarrassed that she thought he was catching a cold and knowing she'd be quick to figure out it wasn't that.

"I'm fine," he managed to get out without squeaking. He wished he could bury his head under a pillow to hide the redness in his cheeks but Ian currently had his arms pinned down.

The Lady Ancient blinked at the response trying to figure out what had gotten into the archer. Not only did he look off but he was acting strange too. All of a sudden it clicked in her head: Rowen knew that Ian's mother was _her_.

Yet, instead of getting embarrassed like she had when Elayne pointed it out, a devious smile crossed her lips; she now had a target to taunt.

"Aw," Kayura cooed at the archer, "Touma-kun, are you embarrassed about us?"

"Shut up Kayura!"

The Lady Ancient cackled at this, teasing, "Oh, but koi[1] how are we going to settle on a wedding date if we don't talk about it?"

"W-wedding what?" Rowen stammered out ears starting to go red.

Kayura was near hysterics the look on his face far too priceless for words; this was more fun than she could bring herself to pass up. So she continued on with her taunting.

"Oh you want to elope then," she seemed to mull it over, "I guess we could. It never hurts to go straight to the _honeymoon_. So, where are we going?"

"EH?" He somehow managed to squeak this out entire face now perfectly matching the Wildfire armor in color.

The Last of the Ancient's clan could no longer help herself and burst into laughter, laughing harder when the archer gave her a very ugly look.

At this commotion Ian finally stirred, he slowly opened his eyes and then let out a yawn, "S'all the noise?"

Rowen was currently rubbing at his face trying to rid himself of the annoying blush, "Don't ask, you don't want to know."

Ian did nothing more than chuckle, "Okay pops, I'll take your word for it."

"Pops?" the archer indignantly asked, "Ima pop you in a minute, ya brat." He did nothing more than ruffle the boy's hair with a playful grin. Though Rowen halted and flinched when Kayura sniggered.

"Aw, see you're on your way to being a great Dad," the Lady Ancient quipped chortling when the blush returned to his face.

Ian turned his head to look at the woman, facial features slightly tense; body posture stiff. Rowen immediately noticed it and he felt bad for the boy who was still upset over what had happened to his parents. While he had calmed down around Rowen, Ian was still tensed around Kayura. The archer wasn't sure when that would subside, if it ever did.

"Morning Ian," Kayura said as she got to her feet and walked over to the pair.

"Hello," was the rigid response.

Yet, if Kayura noticed any of this she did not show it nor did she let it bother her. She merely leaned down and planted a kiss on the child's forehead pulling back with a small grin.

At the dumbfounded looks she was getting from both she explained, "That's from your Mom. She's glad you are safe and here." The Lady Ancient gave pause, "Oh, she also said to mind your manners, and to be patient a resolution to this mess will come."

The boy's cobalt-blue eyes were wide, "Y-you've seen her?" He couldn't believe his ears. After all this time, after all the foul things that had happened, it couldn't be that things were starting to turn around. It just wasn't possible. But, he wanted it to be logic defying. He wanted it to be true.

"Mhm, last stop before An-chan and I came back," Kayura answered, "Elayne wouldn't leave without checking on them first. Universe is the guardian of the Senshi only in title; she's always been more Trooper anyway."

The Lady Ancient continued, "She and your Uncles are fine, but the Nether Realm is a mess. Elayne plans on us getting them out of the realm today; and after that it'll be operation Rescue Future Trooper."

"Wait, how'd you two get into the Nether Realm?" Rowen asked with a frown. If the gates were locked in the future, he doubted Universe's old method of bypassing the security would have worked.

"Slipped in; exited the time frame and then went back into it. We just used a different spot to enter one that lead into the realm," Kayura said in answer, "It's a kicker we can't get them out that way."

Here the Strata Ronin looked lost, and it was something she'd been afraid of because she wasn't sure how to explain it properly. It was something Elayne would've been better at; after all it was _her_ job not Kayura's. Luckily for both, Ian knew exactly what the Lady Ancient was talking about.

"The bends in time, right? You can't be sure you'd get them back in the same time they'd left. I get it."

"See that's my boy," Kayura praised, ruffling his hair, "So smart, just like me."

Rowen went pink and hastily diverted his attention to the wall, knowing why she was making the comment. Kayura permitted herself a snigger, before remarking, "Come on sleepy heads, time for breakfast." She then proceeded to walk out of the room and head downstairs.

Ian watched her go and got out of the bed a thoughtful look on his face, "Neo said things would be different in this time."

"Oh?" the Strata Ronin queried, "She say how?"

"She said…What she couldn't do, you guys and Elayne could," the boy answered looking to the archer now, "If Elayne and your Kayura have done that much already? Well, now I really think I can expect you guys to keep your word."

_'Our word?'_ Rowen then mentally slapped himself, of course, the promise that they would fix what had happened, that they would make it better.

…However, things tend to get worse before they get better.

* * *

The swordsman of Halo was currently getting beaten in shoji by his daughter; Aiyana had already won two rounds before this, and once more she was close to claiming victory.

"Are you sure you're blind?" the blond Ronin asked in amusement.

Aiyana gave what sounded like a giggle, "I'm not completely blind. Plus, you're the one who is playing a memorized pattern, again."

"You beat me repeatedly at this, don't you?" Sage asked with a wry grin.

"That and checkers."

The Halo Ronin chuckled in amusement at her answer. The pair had both awoken about an hour prior as such they had already eaten and then settled in to play a few games. It had been Aiyana's idea, actually; and the girl was currently proving that she was _not_ that handicapped.

The swordsman once more admitted defeat when movement on the stairwell caught his attention. "Morning Kayura," he looked her over with a frown.

"Hello," she cheerfully greeted and then tilted her head at the look on his face, "What?"

"You expended too much energy," he stated, tone mixed with slight ridicule.

"Ah," the Lady Ancient blinked then said, "You are so creepy when it comes to things like that!"

Aiyana managed to stifle her laughter keenly feeling her father's annoyance with the statement.

"I…Am…NOT…Creepy!" Sage was scowling, feathers obviously ruffled. "I want to know why _everyone _says that I am. Even Naaza said it, and he's a total psych case!"

Kayura was now off the stair well and walked over to the blond. She patted the swordsman on the shoulder, "Cheer up. You can't be all _that_ creepy. After all, you get married, and-" she pointed a finger to Aiyana.

Calm, sophisticated, bushido bred and raised Sage, heir to the Date clan, the one Ronin who was always collected no matter what the situation, turned _bright_ red.

The Lady Ancient cackled and walked off into the kitchen to start up breakfast for those who had yet to come down.

"I need new friends," Sage grumbled out, Aiyana gave her father's shoulder a sympathetic pat.

By this point Cye and Adrian had already made their way down into the living room, and Rowen and Ian were not far behind.

It was at this time Sekhmet felt the need to show up materializing out of nonexistence and appearing in the room. No one so much as flinched, far too used to such comings and goings.

"So, Elementals are up to date," he conversationally said, "How many runts are around now? I felt another disturbance last night."

"We've three more," Kayura placidly informed, saying to the Torrent Ronin, "Breakfast is done, should be enough for everyone until Kento-tachi wake up." She turned her attention back to the Fall Seasonal, adding to keep him from jeering the Ronin, "Your daughter didn't come with us, she's too busy raising hell for the enemy."

"I have a," Sekhmet stuttered eyes blinking rapidly, "Wah?!"

"Daughter," the Lady Ancient repeated sounding bored.

The Seasonal of Fall looked to be horrified, as he cried in alarm, "You're joking!"

"She isn't," Elayne assured as she came down the stairs with the Ronin Leader; they'd left Blaze to watch the still sleeping Hiroki.

Hearing this, Sekhmet was rather red-faced, "I don't believe it."

"You'd best," Kayura was now smirking, "She was born _before_ the sleep."

Sekhmet let out what sounded like a squeak, though it might have been more of a shriek, hastily said something (no one was able to catch what exactly) and teleported off somewhere.

Cye had a very amused grin on his face, "So Naaza has a teenage daughter?"

"Yup, little hellion too," the Lady Ancient assured.

Adrian and Ian ate at the table in relative silence while Aiyana pulling up a chair to join them. Both boys were still sleepy and had little to say. Once they finished eating they passed the talking adults with their plates and got them into the sink…Then the three went off into what had been designated a 'game room.'

The adults' paid little mind to them, a bit more interested in their own conversation and poking fun at one another.

* * *

Ryo flopped down in one of the barstools at the counter pouring himself a cup of green tea from the steaming pot.

"Hmm, Kay said three arrivals," the Water Ronin mused, "Kento has twins, so that means," he slyly grinned at Wildfire's bearer, "You have a bundle of joy, eh?"

The Ronin Leader swallowed his tea with a bored look on his face, "So what?"

The blond swordsman and blue-haired archer exchanged glances with each other a little set back by the tone of voice.

Sage frowned, "Everything all right, Ry?" It wasn't the lack of an overreaction that bothered the swordsman; it was the mood Wildfire's bearer appeared to be in. The fact that Ryo's aura seemed troubled further concerned Sage; something was off.

"Fine," was the gruff answer.

Elayne had rummaged through the fridge for a piece of fruit to munch on, but came up empty. She'd been moving to sift through the cupboards next but hearing the conversation behind her she refrained. It would do no good for the other four to pester him now. Ryo would simply go volatile and proceed to shut them out completely.

So, it was time for diversionary tactics. The young woman walked over, so that she was behind the Ronin Leader and then wrapped her arm's around his neck suavely remarking, "My fault. I didn't let him get enough sleep."

The three Ronin stared at her, Kayura blinked, and Ryo let out a squeak of protest, "E-Elayne! Don't talk like that in front of the kids."

Unlike them she had actually noticed the children had left the room, but it was fine by her that they hadn't…Because that left her with openings.

"Aw, come on," she protested but he gave her a look, and she relented with a sigh, "Fine, fine, you're right. Sage-tachi just aren't old enough, we can't be hurting their young tender ears."

The two Ronin were now giving her dirty looks, while Sage was out-and-out scowling at her. Kayura merely sniggered at their reactions; really they had set themselves up for it.

Elayne smirked slyly adding, "Of course, you were the one making all the noise last night."

"WHAT?" Sage demanded in annoyance, elder brother mode completely on.

Cye and Rowen's jaws nearly clattered to the floor…And Ryo? He proceeded to plant his face into the counter to hide his blush, while trying to give himself a concussion so he didn't have to put up with it.

The young woman gave a pleased chuckle and Kayura was once again cackling. Really the looks on their faces were too funny for words.

"I missed causing mischief," Elayne cheerfully commented patting Ryo's head.

The Wildfire Ronin picked up his head to glare at her, eyes going wide with shock when she bent down and kissed his cheek. He couldn't believe she had just done that.

"Keep an eye on Hiro, and try to get some more sleep, okay?"

The young man could only give a mute nod in answer completely dumbfounded by her showing him that kind of affection; and in front of the others to top it off.

"Good," Elayne grinned having known he'd go along with whatever she said after she pulled such a stunt. She looked to the Lady Ancient, "Ready to go, Kay-chan?"

Kayura gave a nod saying over her shoulder as she walked out of the house, "Later boys, be good."

"What she said," Elayne chuckled at their glowering looks, "Kids are in the game room. We'll see you later." She too headed out of the house, but as she did so she said to Sage, _'I know you'll be busy with Iya, but keep an eye on Ryo.'_

_'You'll be lucky I don't grill him for what happened last night.'_

_'Sage, nothing happened, stop being overprotective of me,' _she ridiculed him, _'To get to the point, his foresight's acting up again so he's not sleeping well.'_

_'Ah, so that's what I'm picking up on,' _the swordsman remarked saying, _'Don't worry, I will.'_

_'Had a feeling you would, you're paranoid that way.'_

_'Imouto-'_

She could hear the irritation in his voice and chuckled, _'Okay, I'll quit. Thanks though, later.'_

The Secondary Guardian easily caught up with the Lady Ancient and fifteen minutes later, their presence vanished. Leaving the Ronin to go about their day with little incident.

…Sort of.

* * *

_A/N: Koi, short for Koibito: lover. Elayne can't help being a pain; it's just in her nature. I thank you all for your reviews so for, and I should now take this time to offer you some warning: This story is rated 'M' due to {much} language use and the darker themes in later chapters. The series was meant to grow this way: you'll notice if you go back and re-read the other books how much "lighter" they are. Of all the books in the series this is the absolute worst one for dark themes. Thanks for sticking with us!  
-LG_


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**Credit to Siffy for her help with this chapter.**

_All he knew was that it was dark, but that lightning would occasionally strike and light up the sky. Takeo was carrying him piggy-back too afraid that he'd fall behind if he didn't._

_ A woman with long-auburn hair was ahead of them, looking back every so often making sure they were all there. It felt like an eternity had passed before they reached the room they needed to be in. _

_ Once there, the woman handed something to Adrian and told him to give it to his Aunt An. But that couldn't happen could it? She was dead...Neo Universe was gone._

_ He recalled Iya, Adrian and Ian entering the portal, Kin hesitant and then following...And as he and the twins were about to step through he heard the shield that had kept the building safe shatter. _

_ That's when the walls started to crack and buckle under the strain, and just before the ceiling came crashing down another portal opened and someone came through hauling him and the twins to the ground…_

Replay…His mind was replaying what had happened, with this realization Hiroki finally awoke. The boy was slow to sit up trying to get the fog of sleep to lift with little avail.

The Ronin of Wildfire had finished a meager breakfast and headed back to keep an eye on the boy some hour and a half ago. He was on the other side of the room, sitting in the chair by the desk he had. Seeing movement, he spoke:

"Hey. Good to see you're awake."

The boy frowned as he rubbed at his eyes, not recognizing the voice, "Where in the name of Kaosu am I?"

Ryo chuckled at this, and got to his feet saying, "Not in the future but not in the past either. So I guess you are in the present."

The sleepy fog had lifted now, and Hiroki blinked it sounded like…No, it couldn't be. He turned his head to look slightly taken aback by seeing his father's face. The little boy was quick to rationalize it in his head though.

They had made it to their father's past: a past that Elayne had said was different from what it was before. It was part of the explanation she had given to him and the twins after she and Kayura got them out of the collapsing structure.

Both were there to try and help fix the future, but that it would have to be done in steps to ensure nothing worse would result. She and Kayura would get them to where the other children were after taking care of pressing business. Elayne hadn't felt comfortable sending them back without a guard.

So, this was the present…A past his father might have been able to live but did not have the opportunity, "Are the others okay?"

"Yeah. They are with their parents right now," Ryo assured sitting down next to the bed now, "Are you okay?"

"I...I guess," Hiroki shrugged; if there was anything on the boy's mind, he wasn't showing it in his face.

The Wildfire Ronin reached out, but pulled his hand back a few times. He was almost scared to touch him. Perhaps worried he was dreaming the whole thing and that if he did place a hand on Hiro's shoulder, it would all end.

"You guess?"

"I just woke-up, I'm not coherent for the first fifteen minutes, Aunt Tei says that all the time. Everyone also says I'm related to Uncle Rowen somehow, because my Daddy isn't a sound sleeper," Hiroki answered. For a seven-year-old he was proving to be remarkably thoughtful with a decent head on his shoulders.

Ryo chuckled in partial embarrassment, "Maybe Ro and I are cousins."

Hiroki opened his mouth to say that wouldn't surprise him but he thought better of it…He shouldn't be joking around here he should focus on the important things, shouldn't he?

"Does anyone know how long will be here for?"

The question stopped Ryo, the Ronin Leader not having been prepared to hear it. Not only was it that, but he had never really stopped to think about it himself. How long would they be stuck here for? Was the damage done to the future even repairable?

"I'm sorry," the Wildfire Ronin murmured sadly, "I have no idea, Hiroki. No idea at all."

The little boy leaned back in the bed, "Don't feel bad," he offered a small smirk, "We'll all just have to make the most of it."

At this Ryo chuckled, "Yeah we sure will. Are you hungry?"

He nodded avidly, "Starving." The small boy swung his legs over the edge of the bed and hopped down.

"Then lets go, Hiro-chan," he saw the boy almost fall, "Whoa...Lets just have me carry you for now. Piggy back ride then?"

"Yay!" Hiroki paused a moment and corrected himself, he had better manners than that, "Um, yes please."

Ryo was grinning, "You do know you don't have to be 'proper' around me."

"I'll keep it in mind," the little boy mirrored the grin.

With a soft shake of his head, the Ronin Leader lifted the boy up into his arms and then threw him up in the air before catching him on his back. Hiroki did not seem at all phased by it; in fact he seemed rather prepared for it to happen.

The two made their way downstairs like that, Ryo listened to see if anyone else was around but it was all quiet. Most likely the other three were keeping their kids entertained…From what he had heard upstairs, Kento was still asleep.

Yes, Hardrock's bearer was currently sawing logs. In fact, Ryo was pretty sure the man had his own saw mill (if not two or three).

Their kids…Now there was a thought that had never occurred to him; he and the others actually living long enough, and feeling comfortable enough, to settle down and have families of their own. The thought was almost alien, unbelievable, and unreal.

Yet, apparently they had, and even in doing so there had come evil to get in the way of that. It further proved the point that no matter what they wanted from their lives they were cursed.

The burden of a warrior is to always be a warrior. No matter what occurred their lives would forever be tied to fighting evil, and protecting those that could not protect themselves; at the terrible cost of their own lives and happiness.

Ryo was certain it was that fate Universe had tried so desperately to spare them from, and why she continually felt like she had failed. But, in their books she hadn't: she'd done all she could to protect them, to talk them out of fighting, and they had gone ahead anyway.

He operated on auto-pilot setting the boy down at the counter and opening the oven door to pull out a plate Cye had prepared. The Water Ronin happened to be "Wonder Mom," an exceedingly useful attribute. Of course, the only problem was when he was hen-pecking you to death.

Hiroki could tell that Wildfire's bearer was consumed with his own thoughts and decided not to interrupt. He was silent and ate about half of what was on his plate before picking at the food.

Ryo snapped out of his thoughts, realizing he couldn't worry about their problems now…That right now it was far more important to see to his future son's needs. There would always be time to tackle his own problems later.

"So...Hiro-chan...What would you like to do?"

Hiroki looked up and offered with a smile, "Staying around here's fine."

"Hmm," the Ronin Leader mused it over, "Well, White Blaze is out back if you want to play football with us. Of course, if you-"

"I'm up for it," the seven-year-old excitedly announced eyes lighting up at the thought.

Ryo gave a wry grin, yeah it was definitely his kid, "All right."

* * *

A half-hour later the white tiger flopped over onto his side, just as Hiroki took the ball from him. Actually, it was more like he 'let' the little boy have it so as to gain a breather.

The Ronin of Wildfire sniggered at his companion as he teased, "Well, well, the old tiger has a soft side after all."

White Blaze jumped to his feet and bowled Ryo over, as if to prove a point…Then again, he was proving a point.

Hiroki laughed having made a score, and remarked, "I don't know, I think he just might like me better than you."

Hearing this comment, the majestic tiger gave a smug grin to Ryo as he walked over and proceeded to rub into the small boy. As the child rubbed behind his ears, Blaze let out a very deep rumbling purr. Yes, he did seem to like the child better.

Ryo scowled a bit before lifting up Hiroki over his shoulders, "We'll see who he'll like!" He chuckled as he threw the boy up into the air and smirked as he easily caught him.

Hiroki screeched and laughed when Ryo repeated the process, and was still giggling when he was put back down on the ground. Not one to miss an opportunity like this, White Blaze calmly 'bumped' into the Ronin Leader hitting him so hard, Ryo landed on his ass.

The cat proceeded to tug at Ryo's sleeve as if to drag him along, while Hiroki sniggered, "Aww, Yaku leave him alone, we wore him out."

Ryo was trying his best to ignore his companion, but found it difficult to do so…When White Blaze was being a smart-ass it was hard to ignore him. The lidded look the Ronin Leader conveyed that he got the point.

The tiger gave a proud grin as he stretched and then walked onto the porch to lay down, _'I'm getting too old for this.'_

"That's for sure, you old lazy tiger," the Wildfire Ronin smirked trying to get a rise out of the cat.

_'You try doing this for a living Rekka-cub,'_ Blaze gave an unimpressed yawned. _'See how old you feel after the first thousand or so years.'_

Ryo went to make a retort but moved and his entire body snapped, so instead he winced remarking, "Ouch...Remind me why I called Blaze old?"

"I dunno Daddy," Hiroki laughed, "You always call him old, or fat. And he complains that your still a stupid cub and don't know what your talking about."

The boy had settled in, it was the first time he'd called Ryo his father but Blaze cared about none of this smirking in satisfaction over the "stupid cub" part.

Ryo heard Hiroki call him "daddy" and smiled gently; well, he wasn't too sure he had earned the title, or that he would ever earn it, but it was nice to hear it. Before he let his mind go down a route he knew it would, he snatched the boy in his arms and gave him a light noogie.

"Well maybe he thinks I'm a stupid cub, but he has had thousands more years of being old and fat."

White Blaze flashed his teeth from where he sat on the porch, _'I'm going to bite you, in a certain spot, if you keep it up.'_

Hiroki burst into helpless laughter, "Oh Yaku-kun you **always** say that. Neo says shut-up and put-up, or stop threatening him."

Ryo chortled, "Yeah really, Blaze. You wouldn't want to have me childless, ne? Don't make me give you to the vet to get you neutered like he wanted me to do. You old ball."

**_THAT_** was the wrong thing to say to the tiger. In the blink of an eye White Blaze had lunged off the porch and snapped at Ryo with his teeth. A growl permeated his throat, _'I'd move that fat-ass of yours Rekka-cub unless you want to lose it!'_

"Gah!" the Wildfire Ronin rolled out of the way of another snap of teeth, "Blaze!"

Hiroki covered his hand with his mouth as the tiger lunged after the Ronin Leader snapping his massive jaws anytime he came close to Ryo's legs. Hiroki was trying very hard to suppress his laughter but the child found it was impossible.

"Can't we talk about this?" Ryo protested as he ran from his tiger companion.

_'No!'_ Blaze growled in annoyance. It was nothing more than a ploy though, he was merely doing this to keep the small boy laughing and content. But, it wouldn't hurt to have Ryo think otherwise. _'Hmm, maybe I have spent one too many years with Universe,' _the tiger mused to himself but then quickly dismissed the thought, _'Nah.'_

…Ya, right…Not too many years at all.

* * *

The young boy sat up in the bed and stretched, managing to suppress an enormous yawn. He rubbed at his eyes with his one hand, reaching over with the other to poke his still sleeping sister.

Tavia only slightly stirred at the action as she seemed to be far more interested in sleeping right then. Takeo wrinkled his nose in annoyance and then poked her harder.

The little girl opened bleary blue-eyes and sat up in the bed, asking with a grumble, "What?" She looked around a moment and frowned, "Where'd we end up?"

"Safe place, I guess," he answered with a shrug, "I know, _she_ and Aunt Kay got us to the past."

"You're a big help," Tavia dryly informed him. Now she stretched and was even more carefully studying her surroundings. The room held two beds, two dressers…Obviously, they had come to a place where having roommates was common.

She recalled her father once making comment about how he and his friends had done that when they were much younger…And then just as quickly pushed the thought away; she didn't want to think about him right now.

Her eyes widened a little in surprise when she noticed the sleeping figure on the floor, "We _are_ in the present. Look!" She said this in a whisper and pointed.

Yet, Takeo's eyes had already landed to where she was pointing, noticing him when she did. The words had never needed to be uttered aloud. The twins looked to each other, their faces now unreadable masks.

…

Well…Until evil grins surfaced and they proceeded to pounce on the sleeping Ronin of Hardrock.

Kento awoke with a yelp and might've bolted into a sitting position if it weren't for the fact the two kids had him pinned. It took him a moment to actually realize what was going on, and as he opened his mouth the pair rolled off the bed matt and started laughing.

The Warrior of Strength closed his mouth and shook his head in amusement. He sat up allowing the twins to have their moment of laughter. Being the eldest of a family, and having so many younger cousins put Kento into a position to understand kids for one thing, but really he was just used to the tactics. So he let them enjoy themselves.

Once they'd quieted some, he gave a smirk, "You two rascals are finally awake, huh?"

Takeo gave an eager nod, "We needed the nap."

"Everyone's entitled to sleep in like Uncle Rowen, every now and then," Tavia piped up.

Kento bit down a laugh at that, but barely managed to do so because he was _sure_ he heard the Strata Ronin sneezing down the hall. He got to his feet and performed a few stretches then rolled up the matt.

He looked the twins over, and knew they were scrutinizing him, "What? Something on my face?"

"A…Round the clock shadow?" Takeo fumbled for the correct term, but came up empty.

Kento let out a chuckle, "You mean five o'clock shadow, and I don't have one. I already shaved this morning while you guys were still snoozing."

Shaving…Now that brought something to Tavia's mind; she remembered that her father had once shaved an 'L' sign into the back of Rowen's head…The Ronin of Strata had then retaliated by gluing strange frilly underwear to Kento's dresser.

Really…She and Takeo had never gotten the point of that weird joke. Nor did they understand why their mother had proceeded to chase their father around with a metal pipe for the next three hours.

Now, everyone had easily understood when Neo-Universe was beyond pissed off to have to revive the nearly dead Hardrock Ronin…And subsequently ripped into the adults that they needed to…Act like adults for a change.

Tavia shook her head to clear her thoughts, "We're not staring." No, they weren't staring at him much. He looked like their father, but then again he didn't. There were few care and stress lines on this face, and more laughter present.

Their father's face had lost the laughter a long time ago…

"Come on," Kento once more broke the awkward silence, "You guys have got to be hungry." The pair gave a nod and followed him out of the room.

The Warrior of Strength felt a little lost. Sure he was used to dealing with kids, but this was different. These children were traumatized by losing everyone they had ever known and loved. They were stuck here in an unknown place with people that looked like their loved ones. Yet, the people they were stuck with weren't exactly the sa-

All of a sudden Kento understood why Elayne had been so devastated by the fact the children had to be in the past and that their future had been taken away. It was like having someone else living her life, a life she had tried so damn hard to spare he and the others from.

And here were these kids suffering from a fate so frighteningly similar to hers. It made perfect sense to him now. She'd spared the Ronin from it, only to have the next generation suffer.

_'Well,'_ the Ronin of Hardrock thought, _'We promised to help her fix this, and we'll do it. In the mean time, I'll just help these guys enjoy their stay here.'_

…Knowing the Twin Terrors of Kongo, that wasn't going to be an easy task. Kento didn't know anything about the terrible two. Someone had conveniently left it out that they were worse than he was at that age.

It was something he'd quickly figure out.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven:**

"So," Vanessa queried of her best friend, as they walked down the path to the mansion. "Remind me again, we're doing what exactly?"

"Confirming whether or not what Sekhmet said is true," the woman sighed out, avoiding rolling her eyes to the back of her skull. Really, they had only been over this about a dozen times by this point.

"Right," the Senshi of Water and Ice commented with a nod, "And Callista and Aurora sent us to do this because?"

"Ness just give it a rest already," Kirstin blew out heavily through her nose, and counted backward from twenty.

Yes, Callista and Aurora had decided that maybe it was worth checking out to see if Fall's bearer was pulling their legs. Kirstin wasn't too sure it was a complete joke: Sekhmet typically didn't make things up that was normally Dais job. Some of it did sound a little farfetched, like the Ronin having kids in the future, and the kids being here in this time.

She didn't doubt that there was something wrong in the future, but she found it hard to believe that the bearer of Fall was being completely honest with them. Vanessa had concurred with her assessment of the situation, while Orey and Callie had been noncommittal about the whole thing. Though, they had been the ones to suggest to check it out…They were 'busy' with something and couldn't join them.

Instead of raising little red warning flags in Kirstin and Vanessa's minds, both had just put it off on Callista and Aurora being lazy. Typically, the Scout of Earth and Water were the ones that did the reconnaissance anyway since both had more patience. Well for Vanessa that wasn't really the truth, but she paid more attention to detail than Callista did.

So, as per usual, the two were looking into things while the other two were off doing something else. It had been that way for years, so they had no way of knowing what Cale told to Aurora. Aurora, of course, had instantly shared the information with Callista and that was why the Air Scout was staying out of it. She would drop by later, though, not that she'd bothered to tell Vanessa or Kirstin that.

"Ugh, why can't we take vehicles back here again?" Vanessa complained with a slight huff.

Kirstin gave a shrug of her shoulders, "So we don't draw more attention than what we need to?"

"Ah, yeah, that's true."

Vanessa paused, and then added, "But still, it'd be nice if it weren't such a far walk."

"You're getting to be lazy," the Scout of Earth teased her friend, "Ever since we left the mansion you and the others have seriously slacked off."

"Have not!" the Water and Ice Senshi scowled, "Besides, they've been more interested in the Ronin than us. How am I to help that? I am training still, _Mom_."

"Ya once a day, if that, for maybe a half hour," Kirstin berated her friend, then added, "Less than that if you're bitching about a half-mile walk."

Vanessa opened her mouth to make a retort, but no sound came out. Her amethyst eyes had noticed people out in front of the mansion…Most notably, Cye and a little boy that looked like…

Kirstin and she exchanged looks and both said, "Wow, he wasn't joking."

* * *

Cye had been out on the porch with Adrian for an hour or two now. The little boy had wanted to go outside and play. After enduring a game of tag, and a short one of hide-and-seek, the child looked ready to drop. So did the poor Ronin of Torrent. Fighting demons he could handle, but keeping a kid entertained?

Let's just say it had been ages since he had to endure his twin terror nieces, so he was a little out of shape when it came to keeping up with kids. However, the "crash course" as Rowen had termed it, was definitely a welcomed change of pace.

Granted, he was well aware that something would happen in this time and soon…But for now, he was enjoying the time off. Fighting nonstop was exceedingly draining: both physically and mentally.

No one could last with something like that hanging over their heads. This break wasn't normal either, but at least all it required was for them to pay attention and try to keep the kids happy while they were stuck here.

Well, Adrian was certainly quite happy. Right now the little boy was working on finger painting. The Torrent Ronin couldn't help but grin, apparently he was taking after his artsy father.

All of a sudden though the child stopped what he was doing and looked up, then waved.

"Hi Auntie Nyo, Auntie Zomi!"

Cye blinked and looked to where the child had a little surprised to see both Elementals there. He looked back to Adrian with wonder at the fact the boy had been able to sense them when he hadn't. Apparently, the kids were a lot more sensitive to energy than their parents.

The Ronin of Torrent tilted his head at both women, who seemed to be stuck in place, "Hullo, ladies! Something up?"

Kirstin jerked out of her stupor and resumed her walk, saying, "Ya, we thought Sekhmet was making certain things up."

"Looks like he wasn't though," Vanessa finished slowly, stopping just at the porch steps with her friend. The little boy that had waved at them did resemble Cye, but he also looked like-

"This is Adrian," the Water Ronin cut off Vanessa's thought as he introduced the boy, "One of the rapscallions we're currently playing host too."

"Daaad," the boy protested with a pout, "I am not seafood."

Kirstin bit down a laugh at that, while Vanessa just stared at the kid and then smirked at her elemental partner, _'He's calling you daddy already? Cute!'_

_ 'Hush you,' _Cye mentally retorted, saying aloud, "Two different things, Addy, two different things."

"Oh, okay," the little boy went back to his finger painting, and then paused and got up, "I'm going to go get a drink."

"All right," the Water Ronin conceded, watching as the little boy walked inside.

"He's adorable Cye," Vanessa crooned with a wicked grin as she elbowed the man, "What great eyes he has!"

"He is adorable," the Earth Senshi grinned as she told the Ronin, "Seems to be like you."

Cye gave his elemental partner a dark look, before saying to Kirstin, "Not quite, he talks…A _lot_. Only reason he's quiet right now is because he has something to do. But, other than that, he's a real chatterbox."

Vanessa gave a cackle at that, her maniacal grin now bigger, "Ya, I think he gets that from his _mom_. Don't you Kirs?" That only further confirmed it in her mind as to who the boy's mother was, because a certain Elemental Senshi had been a nonstop talker when she was young.

"Oh yes, definitely," the Senshi of Earth gave a nod smirking, "He can't solely take after his daddy after all."

The bearer of Torrent flushed red, and rubbed at his face with his hand. Great, so they even knew who it was. But instead of rising to the bait, he simply said, "Well, if you think he's the only one that resembles his folks, you're wrong. You should see the others."

"Oh you all have kids?" Vanessa eagerly queried. Yes, she was quite aware of how much great ammunition she could get out of this deal.

"Keep in mind the kids are from 30th Century Crystal Tokyo," the Ronin of Trust said, "By that point everyone has a family of their own; some of us started earlier than others. Mainly the Seasonals, Rowen…And _Sage_."

Vanessa missed the emphasis placed on the name, but Kirstin didn't. She inwardly frowned at hearing this even though she said nothing aloud. A thought crossed her mind, but she was quick to squelch it. No, no way…But it'd be an absolute riot if _that_ were the case.

Kirstin took notice that Adrian came back and said, "Well, we'll go confirm this information of yours. See if they do look like their parents."

"You're a sucker for kids too, eh?" the Ronin of Torrent queried with a grin, "Apparently, it's an earth thing."

A smirk was on her face as she nonchalantly stated, "Most 'gods of earth' were gods of fertility you know?" She then walked into the house, leaving a red-faced Cye behind her who was quick to slam a hand over his face.

Vanessa cackled at her elemental partner, "You should know better by now."

"Ya, ya, she's a smart-alec like Sage," he groaned out rubbing at his face.

"You mean smart-ass daddy," Adrian corrected him without looking up.

Both Water Warriors looked at each other and then at the seven-year-old, quite taken aback that such words had come out of his mouth. Cye was especially dumbfounded; he certainly wouldn't have talked like that around such a young child…Any child really.

Adrian must've realized they were staring, because he said: "It's what Uncle Anubisu says that actually means."

If they could have sweat-dropped, they would have. It figured Cale would talk like that around kids.

* * *

Kirstin walked into the living room and then looked back over her shoulder trying to figure out where Vanessa had vanished to. The Water Senshi entered the room rubbing at her forehead.

"What's wrong?"

"Apparently, Cale cusses like a sailor around the kids," she grumbled out still rubbing at her face.

The Senshi of Earth chortled, "Why are you so surprised by that? It's _Cale_ for the Ancient's sake. Do you really think he's going to change for something trivial like children?"

"No," Vanessa admitted, then added, "But you'd think marriage and having one of his own _would_."

Kirstin actually looked back over her shoulder again, "Are you serious?"

"That's what Cye just said," the red-head nodded, "He said the Seasonals started the earliest with having families. And as he just informed me, from what he knows, Cale's kid is nearly the oldest, second to only Anubis' triplets."

"Triplets?" Kirstin shook her head, "Poor Mia."

"Ya, wonder if she knows? Think someone should fill her in, seeing as how everyone else knows that she and Anubis get hitched?" Vanessa curiously queried.

"I'm sure, by now, Anubis has told her all about her involvements in the past lifetime," the Earth Senshi said in a bored tone, "And where they were at in each lifetime."

"Ya, you're right, he is hopeless like that."

"Pretty much," Kirstin nodded, pausing and tilting her head, "Hey Ro!"

Rowen had been lightly dozing on the couch next to Ian who was currently reading a fantasy novel. The boy had earlier lost interest in playing shogi, and asked if there was anything he could read.

He'd been deprived that privilege when he and the others were kept separated from their parents, so Rowen had understood the request. The Ronin of Strata had said there were a number of books available and was amused the boy went straight for fantasy.

At one time he had enjoyed the genre himself, but he gave it up when his life turned into some bizarre shounen anime. After that point, he stuck to reading textbooks and encyclopedias.

"Hey," the bleary-eyed archer greeted sitting up straight.

Ian paused and looked up, his mouth forming an "oh," before he said, "Hi Aunt Nozomi, Aunt Nyoko."

"This is Ian," Rowen informed them, before they could inquire.

"Hiya Ian, chip off the old block, eh?" Vanessa queried as she was obviously referring to the book in his hand.

"Maybe a little," the blue-haired boy admitted, before smirking, "Neo-Uni says I'm more Mom though. I have her good qualities."

Kirstin snorted down a laugh at the look on Rowen's face, remarking, "I don't doubt that."

"Hey," the archer gave a pout, "Don't gang up on me. She was picking on me this morning!"

"Kayura just loves you, that's all," Vanessa said, patting him sympathetically on the shoulder. She let out a cackle when he went _bright _red. "What? You didn't think love was part of the equation?"

"Hey, hey, kid here," Ian protested pulling the book up to his face, "I _don't_ need to hear this."

"Wow, and they say I'm stuffy," the Earth Senshi remarked.

The young boy pulled down the book a little, a bored expression on his face, "You may not know me, but I know _all_ of you. I _know_ where this conversation is going to go. I don't feel like hearing sexual innuendo comments, especially about my parents. It's _GROSS!"_

Kirstin and Vanessa could not help themselves, and who could blame them? It was far too funny to hear such a thing come out of a kid's mouth no matter their age. Ian ignored the adults and went back to his novel.

All Rowen could really do was sit there and endure their laughter. He was basically sulking at this point, and trying to think up ways to pay Elayne back.

Free choice to continue the past life his ass, it was all _her_ fault. Somehow she had planned this, he knew it, he was absolutely certain of it. Okay, he was just looking for someone to point a finger at.

"You two done?" the archer inquired a slight twitch in his right eye now.

Vanessa gave a nod and wiped at her eyes with her thumb, "Ya. That was good. So, where's the rest of the crew? We've heard you all have kids."

Rowen ignored the Cheshire cat grin on her face, "Well, I think Kento was down a few minutes ago, but pretty sure he went back to his room. Sage is out back. And Ryo…"

He took pause and thought it over, "Last I saw him, he was running for his life into the forest being chased by a very pissed white tiger. Hiroki's out on the back porch though."

"Hiroki?" Kirstin echoed the name, then asked, "His son?"

"Ya," the Strata Ronin said with a nod, "I find it hard to believe though. If he didn't look _exactly_ like Ryo, I wouldn't believe it at all. Personality's way different."

"Okay, I can't help it. I've gotta go see what kind of bundle Sage is stuck with," Vanessa's grin was even wider now.

Kirstin shook her head at her friend, and moved to follow her but Rowen held up his hand and she halted. He waited until Vanessa left the room before permitting himself a smirk as he said to the Senshi of Earth, "She's not going to like it."

"You're joking right?" Kirstin asked, trying very hard not to grin. "Cye's serious? You guys are serious?"

The archer gave an amused nod, "Oh yeah, _dead_ serious."

"But they don't even-"

"_This_ time," the Strata Ronin cut her off as he leaned back on his arms with a smug grin, "In fact, this is the _only_ time where they started out being at-odds with each other. Every other time-" He shrugged to finish the sentence.

Kirstin gave a wry grin, "It's kinda funny how, even when we don't try, we fall into our old patterns anyway. I guess that's one of the things about being an old soul; we try to finish what we couldn't the last time. Our likes and dislikes don't really change all that much."

"Just some part of us does," Rowen admitted, "Little things in our personality change, so we're not the same as before."

"But we're better than any of the other times," the Senshi of Earth pointed out, "Look how far we've gotten this time."

"Ya, but it doesn't change the fact that we've lost parts of ourselves along the way," a frown was on his face as he leaned back into the sofa turning his gaze to the ceiling. "It's that, Uni couldn't deal with."

"You're worried about her?" the young woman queried. It wasn't that she was surprised he would be concerned, but more that he had actually voiced it aloud. Touma had always been the type of person to reconcile things in his head without ever sharing them verbally. It had simple been his way of dealing with things. To hear him say such a thing now, was…Different.

"Ya," Rowen let out a sigh, "Most of the other guys have already talked to her. I still need to. Just because the future is in jeopardy doesn't mean I can ignore what happened, and that it's been left unfinished."

"_'Always finish what you start,'_" Kirstin gave a wry grin, "Seiji really did influence you a little too much."

"Ya, I know. Anyway, you might wanna let Ness deal with, well, you know?"

The Senshi gave a nod to this, oh yes she knew all too well. She did not want to be around when Vanessa had her moment of realization, because the red-head would probably fly off the handle. Kirstin already knew what her friend's face would look like, so she didn't need to see it.

"Well, guess I'll go see to my elemental partner," she announced.

"You might," the Strata Ronin said, a smirk crossing his face.

"Oh please," the woman said giving him a bored look, "I _know_ I'm the mother."

Rowen blinked at this, "Wah?"

Kirstin gave an impatient sigh, "I'll explain it in simple terms. Okay? Thanks to the gossip brigade, you guys know I've been going out with a date for several months." She held up her hand, a ring was on her finger one he had never noticed before, "Now, who do you _think_ gave me this very pretty ring?"

The archer opened his mouth but no sound would come out, and the Senshi simply patted him on the head and then headed upstairs.

The flabbergasted bearer of Strata worked his jaw a few times, and then managed to get out, "That sneaky bastard, I _knew_ he was seeing her!"

Ian picked his head up from the book he was reading, as he said, "Ya, and you shouldn't have bet with Uncle Sage they'd get married and have kids before he did."

"Huh?" The archer queried not quite sure where this was coming from.

"They get married first," the blue-haired boy informed him, "But Iya's almost as old as I am; we were born before the sleep[1]. The twins were born _after_."

"Damn," the Ronin of Strata complained, "I didn't even see them yet; only heard Kento moving around in the kitchen. Cye's seen them…But if I haven't, Sage hasn't either. Time to change that bet we made." He got up and left the room, he also really wanted to see Vanessa's reaction, especially after her teasing.

Ian merely shook his head; really, they were _supposed _to be adults. They acted more like teenagers! Yet…He wouldn't trade it for all the world. In fact, he wished his family acted more like kids, or that they acted more like _these_ people did.

Ever since they had been awoken from the sleep, it was like they were different people…No, they weren't cruel but they were just-

"Miserable," Ian mumbled aloud, and then he pushed the thoughts aside returning once more to the book in his hands.

* * *

Vanessa poked her head out onto the back porch and then walked out onto it; seeing the back of the young boy's head she queried, "You Hiroki?"

The raven-haired boy turned his head a small smile on his face, "Yes, hi."

"Wow, you do look exactly like your Dad," the Water Scout commented blinking in surprise. She had thought Rowen was over exaggerating just a little bit; what child looked exactly like their parent? It was so rare for such a thing to happen, and yet it had.

"Mhm, I get that one a lot, Aunt Nyoko" Hiroki admitted with a nod, stroking a golden tiger cob at his side.

"You can use Ness instead, kiddo," the woman said with a grin, tilting her head, "Blaze has a cub?" Vanessa let out a low whistle; even the _tiger_ had started a family, how bizarre was that?

_'My name is Kin,_' came the only answer he was willing to offer.

That was the only confirmation Vanessa needed, and she queried of the boy, "Where's your Dad at?"

"He taunted Blaze too much, he's currently getting an update on his manners," Hiroki sighed through his nose and shook his head, and then looked up, "Here comes Blaze now. I'll see you later, Aunt Ness." He slipped off the porch and headed towards where the white tiger was.

"After all this time, you'd think Ryo would know better by now," Vanessa shrugged her shoulders. Oh well, she guessed it couldn't really be helped. She looked over and saw where Sage was standing.

"Hey, blondie!"

* * *

Sage gave an outward cringe at hearing her voice. Great, his day was just about to get really complicated. He rubbed at his face with his hand; somehow he doubted this was going to go over really well.

"Hi Ness," he said, turning his head to look at her.

The red-head was smirking, "What's wrong? You don't look pleased to see me."

"Why would I be?" the blond man retorted with a bored expression on his face, "You're only hear to poke fun, anyway."

"Someone's awfully _crabby_ today."

"Bite me," Sage sourly informed her, and then bit down on his tongue to keep from saying more. Really, he couldn't explain what his problem was with her…Especially when they had gotten along so well in the past. Maybe, it was just that their first impressions this time had been a little skewed.

Well whatever it was, he wondered if it would ever fully go away, or would just be buried. Apparently though, something had changed in the not-so far future, between them he just wasn't sure if he wanted to know the _'what.'_

"I would, but you'd probably enjoy it too much," the Water Senshi said and then laughed when he flushed red. "So, where's your kid at?"

"Oh, she's here," Sage informed looking up at the tree he was stationed under, "Whatever happened in the future to limit her sight either didn't limit it that much, or is being reversed. Aiyana's up there, somewhere."

"Somewhere?" Vanessa queried looking up at the gigantic tree, "In those mess of limbs? You serious? I though you weren't the tree hugging type?"

Sage ignored the jab and smoothly answered, "She doesn't take solely after me."

"Oh?"

"Hey Sage," the archer greeted catching the blond's attention as he approached, "Got a question for you."

"What is it Ro?" the Ronin of Halo had that sinking feeling, like he was going to be talked into something.

The Strata Ronin gave a grin, "Member that bet we made? I wanna change it."

"Oh?" the swordsman eyed him critically, "Let's hear it then."

"I still say Kento and Kirs get married before you do," Rowen remarked with a smirk, "But you have the kid first."

_'Like that will ever happen,' _Sage thought with a snort, "Fine, I accept the change."

"You two have been taking bets on who would get married first?" Vanessa queried, giving up on trying to look through the limbs to see where the girl was at.

"I have a gambling problem," the archer said with a noncommittal shrug of his shoulders, "Besides, you were in on the bet about Elayne kissing Ryo."

"The little bitch conned us all," the red-head sourly admitted, "Do either of you have any idea how much yen she made out of it?"

"No clue," Sage said.

There was a rustling noise from above and a young girl dropped down, "She was talking to Aunt Kayura about that, earlier. She got about six-thousand yen[2]. Amazes me you'd dare her to do something like that."

Vanessa opened her mouth and could do nothing more than stare. The girl had Sage's hair, but her eyes…How was _that_ possible? Her gaze went to Sage, then back to the girl, and back to Sage.

Sage winced and shut his eyes, just waiting for the inevitable to come…And opened them when he heard a thud, "Ness?" He could only stare at the limp form.

Rowen was laughing, "I did not see that one coming; she fainted!"

"It's not funny, Ro," the blond swordsman scolded the archer, but the blue-haired man didn't seem to care as he continued to laugh.

"Whoops," Aiyana rubbed at the back of her head, "I forgot I have her eyes."

"I thought she wore contacts," the Halo Ronin commented as he moved next to the woman, and tried to wake her up, "Ness, oi, come on snap out of it."

Aiyana gave a nod, "She does, but her eye color _is_ amethyst. The contacts were an excuse to hide the real color, even though they are amethyst. It's too odd for a normal person to have a bizarre eye-color, ne?"

"That's true," the blond admitted, glaring to the archer, "Oi, cackles, you gonna help me, or what?"

"No, no I'm good, you have fun, I only wanted to see her reaction," with that Rowen walked off back to the house, laughing all the way.

Sage had an eyetwitch by this point, "Someone remind me, _why_ he's my best friend?"

"He's the only one that can tolerate you," Vanessa said with a moan as she opened her eyes, and then she squeaked, "AH, get off of me!" She scrambled away from the swordsman.

"Hey!" the Halo Ronin protested, "I'm not diseased. That's Cale."

"Oh no you don't," the Water Senshi informed him, "You're sense of humor is _not_ going to get you out of this one, blondie."

"I haven't done anything!" Sage said in exasperation, and the little voice in the back of his mind added, _'Yet.'_ Needless to say, he flushed red in the face once more. He looked up at her, "Please? Can we not make a big deal out of this?"

"Not make a big deal out of it?" Vanessa cried, sounding outraged, "Not make a big deal out of it? What the _hell_ am I not supposed to make a big deal out of? The fact that she looks like…Ugh I can't believe I'd marry you and have your kid!"

"Really?" Sage said perturbed, "I can't believe I'd even _ask_ you!"

"Is that so?"

"It _is_."

Aiyana watched as her 'parents' bantered back and forth with a very bored look on her face, all of a sudden she let out a shrill whistle and they both shut-up. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest and let out an impatient sigh, "If you're going to act like _that_ just go get a room."

Both flushed red at hearing that, but Sage maintained enough composure to say, "Iya! Don't-"

"Talk like what? You're acting worse than Adrian and Ian," she placidly informed, "If you're going to behave that way, do it in private because it always leads to something else."

"Aiyana!" he protested now even redder than what he was before, and Vanessa was just staring at the girl.

"How _old_ are you?" the Water Senshi gaped.

"I'll be twelve in a few days, but that doesn't mean I'm naïve," she calmly stated, "Especially since I know how my parents are, and you two apparently aren't all that different."

Vanessa let out a low moan and rubbed at her forehead…This was going to take some getting used to. On another note, she was going to _strangle_ Cye, the smug bastard; he had known all along. He was going to pay for it.

* * *

Kirstin could hear the commotion going on outside, but she ignored it as she ascended the stairs. Really, her thoughts were currently on Kento and whatever child he had.

It was a little disconcerting to know what your future would end up being like. It could make you feel as though you really had no choice in any of it. Yet, the Senshi of Earth knew better than that.

They had been given a choice, all of them, they could have walked away but instead the chose to stand up and fight. Every time they fought demons they were further proving their resolve.

They all knew that the fighting wouldn't last forever. There would come a time where normalcy would once again take over. So it really shouldn't have come as a surprise that they would settle down and have families.

Still, it was just slightly awkward to see your child before you even got married and had them. Okay, more like completely bizarre, but she was trying not to let her mind dwell on it too much.

Besides, it couldn't be all that bad. It wasn't like Kento had never told her how he felt about their relationship. She knew that they would eventually get married. It was something they'd planned on doing literal lifetimes ago.

She shook herself free of the thoughts when she reached the door to his room and heard laughter. The young woman shook her head and did the polite thing, knocking on the door to announce her presence.

Kento was quick to open it and it was obvious he wasn't expecting her because he fumbled with a greeting…He finally managed, "-Er…Hi."

The Senshi of Earth arched an eyebrow at him, but before she could say a word she heard two voices screech, "Mommy!"

She was then promptly tackled to the ground by two little bodies.

"EH? WHAT?!"

Kento let out a sigh and rubbed at the back of his neck, it was going to be a longer day then what he had first thought.

* * *

_[1] In the SM arc Rini is introduced in, it is mentioned several times that a "great calamity befalls the earth" and it sleeps for a time, and that Neo Queen Serenity revives the earth in 30th Century Crystal Tokyo, sorta explaining how she becomes it's 'ruler.' (people are grateful to her, and thus follow her lead, I guess). It's never said what the calamity is (Pluto can't talk about it), or how long the earth sleeps for. Whether I tell you the TGOL version of what happened…remains to be seen xD_

_[2] In Book 2 it was 3000 yen, but in between then and the time she did it, it ended up being 6000 yen; which comes to about $61.54 USD. _


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve:**

"Kirs," the Ronin of Hardrock began in protest, but he blinked when she merely ignored him.

"Hi, how are you?" the Earth Senshi queried of the children a small grin on her face.

"M'fine," Takeo announced cheerfully, and Tavia gave an avid nod in answer.

_'Kento, who is who, here?'_

It took the Warrior of Strength a few minutes to respond to the query, simply because he was too shocked at how she was taking this, _'Uh-ER. The boy's Takeo, and Tavia-'_

_ 'Is the girl, that makes sense,' _she said in acknowledgement, "Dad's not keeping you too cooped up is he?"

"No," Tavia had a maniacal grin on her face, "We've only been up for a little."

_'And have already run me ragged,' _he mentally said with a grimace, _'They tripped me down the last four stairs!'_

_ 'And I missed it, damn.'_

_ 'Kirs…I don't get it-'_

Kirstin was grinning at him, _'Expecting me to overreact? Hate to disappoint, but I'm not so stupid I didn't get it before I got up here. I just wasn't expecting…Twins. I tell you now: your life is going to be hell while I'm carrying them.'_

_ 'Heh…I figured on that.'_

* * *

Callista let out a sigh as she walked down the path to the mansion. She had already heard from Kirstin and Vanessa, and neither woman was pleased with being set-up. Kirstin didn't seem as bothered by it as Vanessa. The red-head was positively seething over the mental line about it. The Earth Senshi, on the other hand made her annoyance known about the 'attempt' but other than that she was fine.

The Senshi of Air rolled her eyes to the back of her skull for a moment. Really, why was she going to do this exactly? What did it prove? She knew all she needed to know from Aurora because of what Cale had told her.

So, what was the point of going there to see? She could have just ignored it, and never come out like she was doing right now. If she didn't see it that meant it wasn't real, right?

No. Callista knew better than that, and she also knew that nothing was ever certain. All the time that had actually passed, and each time something else was different. Universe had always made a point of stressing the fact that just because some things had happened once, did not mean they were going to occur again.

The only reason things ever happened again was if the person _wanted_ it to. If Callista recalled it right, the Scout had always stressed that point before they got their memories back and after it.

"Still and all-" the blue-haired woman murmured to herself, the mansion now in sight. "Is it something we really want, or is it like a predetermined fate?"

If it were the latter, she wasn't so sure she could handle living like that. This might be the "last try" they had, but somehow she got the distinct feeling Universe would do the impossible to give them even more chances.

Oh sure, she was well aware that the Scout had done things this lifetime that she shouldn't have done. Each of them, Ronin and Senshi, were well aware of the fact that this lifetime had been lived several times. Elayne had never needed to make a point of verifying it. It was within Universe's personality to do the impossible to protect them, she had always done it. As Elayne? Callista did not even want to guess what limits she would go to for them.

The Air Scout shook her head to clear it; well…She guessed it was a matter of seeing how the future would pan out. Nothing was ever definite, not until it actually happened.

"Hey Cye."

The Water Ronin looked up and gave a wry smile, "Hi."

Callista eyed the little boy sitting next to him playing with the finger paints, "Guess we did go out on another date after all, huh?"

Cye was silent as he rubbed at the back of his neck, obviously he was embarrassed. He tried to think of the right thing to say, and managed: "They did, at any rate. Several more it looks like, huh?"

"Mhm," the Senshi of Air sat down on the porch, still eyeing the little boy who had yet to notice her presence. "Likes to paint an awful lot-" she was referring to the ten sheets of paper he'd already gone through, "Another artistic Mouri. Your Mom will be very happy."

"Ya," the Water Ronin sighed through his nose, "Rub it in. Hey, Adrian ?"

"Mhm?"

"Look up for a minute," Torrent's bearer said.

Adrian wrinkled his nose and did so, "Da-" He stopped as he saw her sitting there, almost unwilling to believe his eyes, "Mommie?"

Okay, so she had to admit the kid was absolutely adorable. She blinked when the little boy preceded to glomp her around the middle, glancing to Cye who shook his head in belated amusement.

Callista stroked Adrian 's hair, "Hey, you okay?"

"Better now that you're here," he sniffled out, "I didn't think I'd ever see you again. You or Daddy."

"Well, we're here, that's all that matters, ne?"

"Mhm."

All was silent for several minutes, as Adrian nodded off to sleep in her arms. _'Poor kid,' _she thought to herself. How miserable to lose your parents, and be stuck in the past with people that were like them, but weren't. It was something she almost couldn't rationalize.

_ "_Callie…"the Ronin of Trust said in a low voice so as not to disturb the sleeping child, "You know that nothing in the future is set in stone. We don't have to pick up the pieces of the past unless we want to. So-"

"Shin," the Senshi of Air looked to him, taking her eyes off of Adrian for a moment, "Sometimes picking up the pieces isn't all that bad."

* * *

"Well, what do you know," Kayura said, in a cheerful tone, "That didn't take too much time at all."

Elayne gave a nod as she walked next to the Lady Ancient, "Doesn't mean it'll be that easy next time." She opened her eyes and looked to her friend, "Getting the Troopers back certainly won't be."

"I know," the Last of the Ancient's Descendants grimly commented, "You really think they're still alive?"

The Secondary Guardian was silent for several moments before letting out a loose breath, "They are. I could sense them, barely, but they were alive." She shivered and rubbed at her arms trying to ward off a chill, "I don't understand how they got caught; I just hope we can get them back without tangling with Riynd."

"Riynd," Kayura repeated the name, closing her eyes a moment, "From what I've seen, she really is worse news than Akemliek. All that destruction, even with most of the Senshi around and all of the Ronin? It's just…Unreal."

"Mhm," again Elayne went silent a frown tugging at the corner's of her mouth.

The Secondary Guardian was very much preoccupied with her thoughts by this point; she just couldn't understand how the Troopers got captured. Banished from the Crystal Palace or not, several million galaxies away or just a dimension over, Neo should have known her charges were in trouble.

Death couldn't even stop the Neo Scout from knowing they were in danger. It was _impossible_ for her to not know. Universe would have _felt_ them come under attack, would have known the dire situation and been there in an instant. So how the hell-?

Elayne suddenly felt sick and what color was in her face left as she came to a realization.

_ 'She let it happen; she might have warned them to not go, but she didn't even __**stop**__ them. She let them get caught, but why?'_

The young woman had a feeling that if and when she confronted the Neo-Scout about the entire thing, she was not at all going to like the answer.

"Elayne?"

"Hm?" the young woman snapped back to the present, "Sorry Kay, what did you say?"

"Never mind," Kayura waved it off, then smirked as the mansion came into view, "I sense Elemental Senshi!"

"Oh, they came?" Elayne queried tilting her head to scan, she then shook it, "Well, that's an interesting development."

"I wonder how Ness reacted?" the Lady Ancient had an evil grin on her face.

The Secondary Guardian gave a snort, "I'm sure you can ask your fiancé all about it."

"Shut up you," the blue-haired woman groused, "Just because Neo-Universe didn't hook up with Ryo, doesn't mean-"

"Doesn't mean, what?" Elayne asked with a raised eyebrow when the Last of the Ancient's Clan didn't finish her sentence. "Hello…Kay-chan?"

Kayura pointed, "Look! She's actually being _civil_ with Sage." It was true Vanessa and the swordsman of Halo were having a polite conversation. Having decided to give up on arguing lest their daughter suggest they get a room, again.

"Oi, Kay come on, not everyone can fight like Ryo and I do, **all** the time," the young woman said with a snort as she headed on towards the house, "OI! Iya tell you to get a room did she? Smart girl."

Vanessa and Sage both went red, and then both glared at Elayne within the same moment.

Elayne gave a smirk, "Oh look, you've bonded already. Bout damn time you quit bitching at each other."

"Imouto, I _hate_ you."

"I know, Nii-chan, I know," the young woman waved the swordsman off and walked into the house.

Vanessa glared after her, "I really could wring her neck."

"So could I," Kayura piped in rolling her eyes, and then she gave a wry grin, "So, where's Iya at?"

"She went inside to check on Ian," Sage answered as he too walked inside, "How'd the trip go, Kayura?"

"Better than what we expected," the Lady Ancient admitted, "We got them out of the Nether Realm faster than planned. We came back to get a break in; lot of energy usage."

"Maybe Rowen shouldn't have worn you out before you left," the red-head shot to Kayura, beaming at the glower.

The Lady Ancient was quick to retort with, "Uh huh and I'm sure Sage pacified you, right?"

Sage simply rolled his eyes to the back of his head and walked into the kitchen where Rowen, Cye, and Kento were hanging out. The three were enjoying the break from trying to entertain their kids.

"Hey, cut it out," Callista protested from where she sat in the living room sofa, "There's kids around, ya know?"

"Speaking of, where's yours?" Kayura all-too cheerfully queried.

"Adrian's taking a nap," came the short answer before she put her head into a magazine.

Kirstin walked out of the back hall and added, "So are the twins. Ian's in the library and Aiyana has been unsuccessfully trying to drag him out of there to eat something."

"Wish her luck with that one," Elayne commented having stopped by a chair to stroke White Blaze, "He's more stubborn than his Dad when it comes to a good book."

"At least he gets something from me," the archer tossed out, having caught the comment.

Cye gave a derisive snort, "Ya, _there's_ something to be real proud of."

"Dude, you've got absolutely no room to talk," the Ronin of Hardrock informed with a grin, "Adrian-"

The Water Ronin proceeded to stuff a sweet roll into Kento's mouth, "Here, chew on that, and shut up."

"Oh yeah that was _mature_," the blond swordsman shook his head, "Are we regressing now, kids?"

"Boys, cut it out," Elayne warned getting to her feet now. Her eyes were half-lidded, "Or I'm going to ground you: into little itty bitty _pieces_."

All four men shut their mouths and swallowed the lumps that had just formed in their throats while the women in the room laughed, and the Secondary Guardian permitted herself a pleased smile. Yup, she _still_ had it.

Kayura looked around and blinked, "We're a Ronin short, where's-"

"Kaa-san!"

Elayne was tackled to the ground, not having been prepared to be knocked over by the blur that was Hiroki. She couldn't help but laugh, "Oi, Hiro-kun, you saw me this morning!"

"I know," the boy pulled back his head to grin at her, "But I didn't get to greet you properly before."

"Yes, it's been bugging you, I'm sure," she ruffled his hair, "Feeling better?"

"Mhm, loads."

"Good, that's a relief," she paused and blinked a little when she noticed the silence of the room. She looked up noting there was a very dumbfounded Wildfire Ronin in addition to the other shell-shocked occupants.

"What?" Elayne queried of them all, "Don't look at me like that you guys."

"But…Wait a minute-" the Strata Ronin protested, "You-"

Elayne got to her feet now and hauled Hiroki up with her; even though he was seven he was still small, "Universe couldn't have children, yeah. I, on the other hand, can. I never said that _I_ didn't exist in the future Neo-Universe is from, you guys just assumed it because I didn't exist in that past."

The Ronin of Wildfire had a sulky look on his face as he grumbled, "Ya, well, you could've said something sooner."

"And ruin our great cuddle moment?"

Ryo proceeded to turn red at the implication while Kento and Sage came out of their stupor to demand, "What '_cuddle moment'_?!"

The Wildfire Ronin let out a moan; he really couldn't win, could he?

She had purposefully set him up for this one; he was certain of it. Elayne merely rolled her eyes at her older brothers displays, and placed Hiroki down on the sofa. She brushed his bangs out of his face, "Everything okay, Hiro? You're awfully quiet."

"It's fine," the boy hesitated a moment, "Kaa-san?" He looked to the other adults in the room, "I'm sorry…I forgot-"

She placed a finger to his lips, "It's all right, Hiroki. Things are different here. No need to worry about it, kay? You can tell Iya-tachi if you want; it's no big deal. Minna-sama will know in the future anyway."

"Really?"

"Mhm," Elayne gave a nod a smile on her face, "I mean it. Now then, why don't you go help Iya get Ian out of a book?"

Hiroki gave a light laugh, _her_ laugh, "Okay then."

They were all kind enough to wait until the boy was out of earshot before making any comments.

"Mei mei, what the hell was that about?"

Elayne sighed through her nose and rubbed at the point between her eyebrows, "Look, I exist in the future _separate_ from Neo-Universe. And no, I'm not going into the details of that because I don't think I could explain it in a way any of you would understand. Anyway, Adrian knows I'm Hiroki's mother, but that's it. He only knows because he saw Hiro with me."

"Elayne-" Callista was frowning, "What do you mean no one knows?"

Kayura thought it over, "So it really is that bad?" She looked to the Secondary Guardian who gave a nod, the Lady Ancient then remarked to the others, "We're not very close in the future, remember? And from what I've heard from Neo-Saturn, the Troopers got into a really bad fight. They split up for a while during the 30th Century."

"And I'll take a wild guess and say our royal titles apply in the future?" Sage queried with a grim-look on his face, "That's why no one knows about it? Because Ryou's status makes it improper?"

"Basically," the Secondary Guardian admitted with a nod, "Ryou didn't care I'm sure he made that point often, but we all know how stubborn I can be. I typically always get my way, too."

"Man," Cye sat down in a bar stool, "Talk about complicated. I thought mine was pretty out there."

Rowen gave a chuckle, "As per usual Elayne's case takes the cake, and leaves us all in the dust."

The young woman smirked, "And you all love me for it. Some more than others, ne Ryo?"

Wildfire's bearer sent her a lidded-look, "I hate how you set me up for shit like this."

"Look, I haven't exactly had the time to go over everything with you, sorry, I've been trying to save the universe's future," she sourly stated. "So I apologize I haven't had time for the sappy and mushy moments. Because I just _so_ _love them._"

Everyone could hear the sarcasm in her voice as well as the thinly veiled disgust, and it was all they could do not to snigger at it. The Secondary Guardian rubbed at her head again trying to fend off a migraine as well as rein in her temper. She was stretching herself too thin, and it was starting to show in her attitude.

"You okay?" Ryo probably should've been pissed at her, but he could tell that something was wrong. He could sense she was tired, yet there was something else nagging him. The problem was he simply couldn't pin it down.

Elayne gave a heavy sigh, "Yeah, sorry, migraine. Tend to have no attitude control then."

"Not like you exercise it too often anyway," Vanessa teased as she and Callista walked outside. Kirstin gave a snort as she followed behind them, "That's like a compliment coming from you Ness."

"How much more do you two think you can do in the future?" Sage queried with a frown, leaning back against the counter.

Kayura and Elayne looked to each other and both shrugged, before the Lady Ancient remarked, "All we can. We still have to find the Troopers and rescue them. It may take a week our time for that."

"It's as close an estimate as we can give," the Secondary Guardian added, "It might be longer; it depends on what happens while we're there."

Cye was quiet for a moment and then said, "I hope it doesn't take too much more. You're both exhausted." He looked directly to Elayne and wryly smiled, "It's bad enough we wore you out emotionally not that long ago."

"Ya," the archer commented, "Speaking of…We'll get it right this time, Uni. We can pull it off. So don't worry bout it."

Elayne let out an amused chuckle, placed her head on her palm, "I was wondering when I'd get a 'talk' from you two. Nii-chan gave me one last night over the mental line. That makes it all of you now; the Seasonals pulled me aside first thing. Guilty conscious much?"

"But," she looked to the five young men, "Thank-you for trying to put me at ease. I appreciate it. I'm still holding you to your words though." She winked.

"And there'll be hell to pay if you don't keep it," Kayura added cheerfully. It wasn't like she needed to though, they already knew that.

"We're back," Cale announced as he and Anubis walked through the door.

Anubis was frowning, "Everything seemed to be normal. Only a few discrepancies here or there, but that's not unusual."

"If Riynd was here, you'd know it," Kayura said, "Neo-Mars told me she doesn't have the ability to hide her energy and presence. It's too large."

"Have you sensed her in the future?" the Ronin of Hardrock queried.

Elayne gave a shake of her head, "No. But there's so much else wrong with the galaxy there it's overloaded my senses. So I can't tell. I don't sense her here, though. And I haven't sensed her come through, either."

"We'll just have to keep an eye out," Ryo said.

The warriors could not know that it was already too late and Riynd had already slipped into the past. They couldn't have known that when their memories had returned a rift in time had opened allowing her to slip through. She was in Akemliek's domain and had been since then, biding her time.

…All too soon, her game would begin.

* * *

_A/N: So there you have it, the official pairings for TGOL! OMGosh did I seriously pair people up, FINALLY? Yes. Keep in mind TGOL is nothing more than a parody of all the available RW (and to a lesser extent SM) cliches rolled up together and put into a serious setting. At this point in the series, I have NOW covered them all (or all that were present back when I wrote this). You get to be the judge on how I did with it. ^_^ So, how many of you saw these pairings coming? Hm?_

_Oh, and for those serious comments about feasibility of the pairings that might crop up, please keep this in mind: there is a lot of off-screen interaction between the characters that never makes it into the books. If it doesn't relate to the plot in someway, it gets cut. Thus, I leave much of what goes on off-screen up to you the reader._ _Rowen/Kayura got focused on simply because so many people don't bother to explain HOW the two of them got to that point; hopefully, I did!_

_And don't forget: the future is never set in stone. ;-)_


	14. Chapter 13

_A/N: I'm a little overdue with my update. I have been timing Book 4's updates to coincide with Sifirela's "Until the Fall, My Dear" her newest revision of "Saving Grace." For those who haven't read it yet, I encourage you to do so! "Until the Fall" has a lot of promise, and as an added bonus: our favorite little psycopath Elayne has a cameo. You aren't getting a huge update block this time, mainly because we are fast approaching the end of Book 4. That, and I want some of this to sink in.  
-LG_

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Plotted and Partially Written: December 2008**

**Rewritten: March 27, 2009**

**Earlier: Sometime in May**

"Well, that did it," Thanos commented as he walked down the halls at his master's side. "They have their memories now."

"Really?" Akemliek queried, sounding partially amused, "It certainly took them long enough this time. But having the Guardian out of the picture certainly helped."

Thanos gave a nod, "If it weren't for Shinshou, it wouldn't have been nearly that easy. So he proved himself useful, if nothing else."

"He isn't the only one," a female voice lilted. A laugh filled the room and the shadows on the wall danced as if in time to the rise and fall of the tone. "I wouldn't have been able to slip in unnoticed if it weren't for you."

"Who are you, and where are you?" the ice demon demanded, quick to withdraw his weapon and slide into a defensive position.

Akemliek stood completely still though, eyes carefully going over the entire cavern. He was trying to pinpoint where the laughter was coming from and he managed to do so in record time.

"Oh, but that's the question now, isn't it?"

All of a sudden the shadows sprang from the walls to attack them, but then halted for no apparent reason. Yet, there was a very good reason for as they had moved forward Akemliek had leapt to the far left corner a dagger held loosely in his hand. Now it rested cleanly under the intruder's throat, a bored expression was plastered on Akemliek's face as he stood there in this threatening position.

"Hello Riynd," he sighed out, "Stop with the shadow magic, if you please?"

Riynd gave a cold smile and the shadows vanished as well as those concealing her form. She was a pale woman with cold silver eyes, and white hair with crimson blood-streaks. She was perhaps five-nine in height but still seemed small when next to Akemliek's form.

"Hello baby cousin, how have you been?"

"Oh quite well," the being informed as he put his dagger away and stood back from her. "When did you get here?"

"An hour ago," the woman said with a smile, smoothing out her leather wrist-guards. "I owe you, baby cousin. I wouldn't have been able to get to this past, if you didn't have that **_bitch_** disorientated."

Thanos gave a light chuckle, "Someone else who doesn't like Universe, eh? Is it a family thing?"

"You could say that," the woman commented, "Her type is always trying to keep us from going out of bounds; interfering with parallel worlds and dimensions, and even the past, or the future. They think we're too dangerous and in the long run we'll end up doing irreversible damage."

"I won't fully disagree with that," Akemliek commented as he started to resume his walk down the corridor. "If one doesn't know what they are doing, they can do irreversible damage. What brings you to this past, Riynd?"

The woman gave a shrug and walked with him, "It was a kick in the ass to get to this galaxy through the normal channels. That bitch had the blocks set up all right, and after slipping past those I had to deal with those Seasonal wenches. I figured I'd avoid the Outers by slipping into the Nether Realm. Well THAT set off the Seasonal armor bearers coming…Make a long story short? After actually getting my way in the future, I find that the planet just isn't sustainable. I can't use it for what I needed it for."

She took pause and looked at him, "So I decided to come back to it's past and see if I can merge it, and then use the power I need. The only thing is that Neo-bitch is here. I had thought she was dead, but I sensed her. She came back here after dying in the future it would seem. Luckily, her current self is in too much turmoil to notice my coming through keeping the future unaware as well."

"I'll take that as a compliment, that I managed to do something worthy," he dryly commented with an eye roll.

"Oh Kemy," Riynd was pouting at this, "You don't have to prove your worth to anybody anymore. You defeated Simoria, for Krion's sake! No one could defeat her and you did. Why you started this crusade to weed out the too strong, too good, and too evil, is beyond all of us…Simoria and her family may have raised you, but we're your real family. Our opinion matters, not theirs."

Thanos was frowning at hearing all of this; some of it was information he knew, but the rest of it he couldn't quite place. From what the ice demon knew, Akemliek had been found by people and raised in their galaxy. Not human people, more along the lines of deity-type people with that kind of power and strength.

The couple had a daughter by the name of Simoria, and she was older than Akemliek…But that was all he knew.

Akemliek gave a scowl at hearing this, and thought broodingly of his past. Simoria…She always treated him like a brother and he resented the treatment mainly because he felt she was too defensive of him. Now that might not have made such a bad impression if it weren't for the fact her parents raised him against the wishes of others.

He could still hear their comments that no good would ever come of him, and if he were not so weak in body he could be dangerous. In light of that, with Simoria's constant defending it felt more like she was scrutinizing his every move, waiting for him to step out of line.

Well, he had become stronger. He had done it to prove to himself that he was not weak, and that he would not be controlled by their words. When he'd been old enough, he had challenged Simoria to a duel, and like Riynd had said, he had won.

The being had not killed her though…Akemliek still couldn't decide if it was simply because she up and vanished, or more because he had really no desire to do so. He had proven his point; at least he thought he had.

He had left the galaxy after that, going around the universe to weed out the strong good and evil. He'd challenged each, and defeated it then moved on to the next. Yet, somewhere in the back of his mind he couldn't help but hope to come across Simoria.

"That may be," Akemliek said to Riynd, "However, I have not proven it to myself yet."

Riynd patted his shoulder, "I understand. You're still looking for Simoria to finish the job. None of us can blame you, but it'd be nice if you saw your actual parents again, you know? You've been in this galaxy for ages."

"I've no real desire to see them," Akemliek said, "They're…Strange."

"Yeah, that's putting it mildly," the woman cackled in laughter, "Out of the entire family, they're the most bizarre. And that _is_ saying something!"

Thanos gave a snort to this, _'Oh good, people can blame his being crazy on his parents. It runs in the family. I think I should've staid with Beryl.' _

If anymore of Akemliek's relatives were going to show up, the ice demon was most likely going to find another galaxy to live in. Riynd seemed to be more off the wall than Kali, and that was absolutely terrifying to him.

Someone more insane than his sister? He doubted very much any good would come of this.

Akemliek looked to Riynd, "So what are your plans?"

"Would you really like to know?" she queried a feral smile crossing her lips, "I've got some, and can come up with more."

"Let's hear the current ones first," he said, "And then see about coming up with more."

Riynd gave a sigh and seemed to think it over, "All right. Well, each of them has to do with laying low for a while. Sending Raikken out to occasionally greet your precious punching bags, and maybe Thanos to spice things up…If you'd be willing, that is?"

The ice demon was momentarily taken aback by being asked for his input, "I'd be more than willing, and am flattered you'd make such a gracious offer."

"Thank the galaxies, a henchmen with _manners_," Riynd gave a dramatic sigh, then said crossly, "Most of them are kiss asses that can't tell what way to point a weapon…Kemy, you have to tell me where you find your henchmen, you always have polite ones. I get stuck with…Well not really stuck, I tend to kill them cause they're worthless."

"If you tell me where to get better minions, we have a deal," Akemliek told her, "I've been stuck with these useless Raikken for way too long."

"Sorry," she gave a shrug, "I sure as hell haven't seen any, and I've been to more galaxies than you have."

…Well, that doesn't exactly bode well for evildom, now does it?

"Anyway," Riynd said, "It won't be too long till they realize the state of the future, and once they do they will eventually figure out I am here. And that, my dear cousin, is when we go into action."

The smirk was once more back on her face, "Then the real fun starts."

* * *

**June 1997:**

**Two Weeks After The Arrival of the Children**

The quiet of the morning wasn't normally lost to Sage, but right now the blond had no time to sit and enjoy it. It had been two weeks, and the potential week Kayura and Elayne had said it would take, had ended up being more.

Apparently the situation with the Troopers was far more dire than anyone had expected and both guardians were needed to help the future Lady Ancient. Oh, he had given up on trying to wrap his head around all of this.

Most of them had by this point, there was just no rhyme or reason to it so they had accepted it. If anything else happened, they didn't question it because there would only be a headache if they did. Both women had been gone for two days now, and it worried him.

Yet, he had other worries as well. Aiyana and the other children had settled in, in fact the Elemental Senshi were currently keeping an eye on them.

No, his main concern right now was for his leader who he was currently staring down. It was Saturday morning, the day they normally held their group meeting on, and this day was the day Sage had decided he would get Ryo to talk about what was going on.

Elayne had never needed to tell him that Wildfire's bearer ability, to sometimes see things that may happen in the future, was acting up. He had been able to read it in the man's face and sense it over the mental link they all shared.

The swordsman had tried throughout the past two weeks to get some form of answer out of Ryo, but to no avail, so today he was going to ask right in front of the others.

"Quiet morning," the Ronin of Torrent mused, "And nothing from Akemliek-baka, except for yesterday."

A scowl now marred Sage's features, and one was also on Rowen's face. Akemliek had shown himself, still only projecting, but he had gone after Aiyana and Ian the day prior. It was more than likely he had been curious by their existence at first, and then amused they tried to fight him.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered. It didn't change the fact both Ronin were ready to rip his throat out. As far as both were concerned, those were _their _children and nobody was going to mess with them.

Kento eyed both the Ronin of Halo and that of Strata, "Shin-"

"What? Oh, sorry, though never thought either of you'd get so defensive of the kids."

"You wouldn't?" the archer irately demanded, gritting his teeth together, "You wouldn't want to rip that bastard apart for even trying to go after them?"

Cye gave a derisive snort, "Of course I would! But that's _me_, not _you_."

"Don't even start you two," the blond swordsman dully informed, "We'll be here for the rest of the month."

The Hardrock Ronin let out an amused chuckle, "You're taking this being "24" thing seriously, aren't you?"

"You're just jealous because you and Ro are the babies," Sage retorted with a smirk. Said smirked widened at the very pissed off look on Kento's face.

The Ronin of Wildfire ignored them. His mind was on other things, things he couldn't rationalize, yet was trying to anyway. He had to make some sense out of what he was seeing, but he just didn't know how.

It was eating at him. He couldn't sleep and he had lost his appetite. Why? Why was he seeing _her_ with bloody wrists…That didn't make sense. Neither did-

"Ryo?" Cye queried.

"What?" He snapped his head up and quickly looked around then let out an embarrassed sigh, "Guess I'm not awake yet."

A frown now formed on the Water Ronin's face, but before he could start to question Sage made his move.

"That's a lie. The problem is you're _not_ sleeping, right?"

The Ronin Leader nervously shifted his weight and immediately looked away from his four brothers-in-arms. He had been dodging Sage all week, and he knew it would happen that the swordsman would ask in front of the others.

Ryo hadn't exactly left him much a choice in the matter, and he understood. Maybe, in a way it was better to just say it in front of them all anyway, "Ya. My foresight's been bad the past three weeks; damn near nonstop."

He let out a forlorn sigh, "Sorry guys, I should've said something. But it's not like I'm getting anything concrete. I'm not getting full images it's always pieces. So I have no idea _what_ I'm seeing."

"S'all right Ry," the Ronin of Torrent assured, much to everyone's surprise. If anyone would have been overtly pissed it should have been Cye, especially now since he had full memory back. No one _ever_ hid anything from Shin because he would make you miserable once he found out you were trying to get something past him. So, it came as a bit of a shock…Said shock didn't last very long.

Sea-green eyes were boring a hole into Rowen's skull, "You're not the only one hiding things."

At hearing that comment and seeing where his best friend was looking Kento frowned, "To, what's going on?"

"Heh, Cye I'll kill you," the archer said sourly, before nervously rubbing at the back of his neck. "Well, it's kinda like this. You guys remember my latent ability that popped up towards the end of the second lifetime?"

Sage blinked at this, "It's acting up too?"

"Yeah, my premonitions are back and full swing," the archer sighed through his nose.

Ryo frowned, "Any idea what, or why?"

"Your foresight's been a trigger in the past, and Tenku must've just remembered I had the ability," Rowen shrugged his shoulders, saying further, "My mind refuses to let me focus on what it is. It's loose images all looped together. I just know whatever is going to occur, is going to do so within the next two months. And-"

"And what?" the Halo Ronin pressed.

"All **_hell_** is going to break loose."

Kento was grim-faced, "Unfortunately, that makes perfect sense. I dunno about anyone else, but Kongo is edgy. It hasn't been this edgy since we were in Akemliek's domain."

"Well, we knew the peaceful aspect had to end sometime," the Torrent Ronin commented with a loose shrug, "Better now, than too much later. Otherwise, we'll be rusty as hell."

"That's true," the swordsman of Halo paused a moment, "Elayne and Kayura are back."

"It's about time," Strata's bearer said with a frown, "They've been there for two days; they've never been gone for that long."

Ryo grimaced, "Oh man, they're energy levels-"

"We're not as bad off as we look," the Lady Ancient informed. That was not very reassuring. Both women were pale and sported obvious cuts and bruises; it looked like they had fought off a Nether Realm invasion. "But we have a problem, a very big problem."

"I'm almost afraid to know," the Ronin of Torrent said, "Especially when you two look like you-"

"We did fight off a Nether Realm invasion," Elayne wearily answered, "And seeing as how everyone in the future was half-dead, mostly dead, or might-as-well-be-dead-because-my-energy-is-gone we did _all_ the fighting."

"Oh man," Rowen grimaced at hearing this, "But, since I normally jinx us, I'll ask. What's the problem?"

"Riynd's here," the Lady Ancient informed them, "She's slipped through to this time."

The five men looked to each other, their eyes wide in shock at hearing this information.

"How?" Kento asked.

"She had to have done it while we were in the Nether Realm, or directly after that…It's all I can think of."

Elayne seemed to be out of breath even though she'd done nothing but stand there. Her exhaustion was much more obvious than Kayura's and she was doing what she could to hide it.

"No, she did it right after that and while you were getting your memories back," the Secondary Guardian said, "Because if I failed to sense it, Pluto would've noticed. She said she hasn't sensed anything other than the children, and I didn't sense it because of the poison in my system. Too sick to notice."

"Where the hell is she then?" the Ronin Leader frowned, "If Elayne can't sense her…Then, wait she's in Akemliek's domain."

Kayura gave a nod, "That's what we figure."

"No, we know for a fact," the Hardrock Ronin said, "They've been absent all this time. Thanos has showed up on occasion, but Akemliek hasn't come around to ruffle our feathers."

"Up until yesterday anyway," Torrent's bearer commented.

Both guardians exchanged brief glances with one another, not too sure if they should ask and find out what happened. They had no need to ask though, for the Ronin were quick to explain. Aiyana and Ian had been out walking the grounds and Akemliek's projection had confronted them.

Rowen and Sage had sensed him and been on their way over, and were able to catch the tail end of the conversation. Akemliek had confronted the children in the future, while the Seasonal children were trying to get the younger Elementals to safety. He had gone through the Seasonal's quick, but struggled against the two elementals.

He'd used a seeing-distortion spell and aimed it at Ian, but Aiyana had taken the hit…It was information Akemliek shouldn't have really known even though he said he had never seen the use for the blinding spell.

The Ronin had managed to get the children away unharmed, and made themselves feel slightly better by throwing their elemental magic at him. Even though it didn't really hurt Akemliek, it was the thought that counted.

"Great, that bastard," Kayura groused, "He's lucky I wasn't here. He'd have had a lot more to contend with. I figured out how to cause him massive pain when he projects like that. Hm, where are Anubis-tachi at? They're normally here by this time."

"They're around somewhere," the Ronin of Wildfire answered, "All the armors have been restless. So there's no telling where they ended up."

"Well-"

The Secondary Guardian wasn't listening to them anymore. She had somehow managed to get her breathing back under control, but now her vision was spinning. It was too much of a strain on her body. If two days had passed in the present, that meant Elayne and the Lady Ancient had spent just shy of a month in the future.

The energy the two of them had expended in that time was momentous, but it was twice as hard on the Secondary Guardian because her powers were failing. She was starting to have to rely on her clan's power to boost it, and…It was too much.

She had lost too much blood this time, far too much.

Sage was frowning having noticed Elayne was not taking an active part in the conversation. When he felt her aura fluctuate he worriedly looked to her, "Imouto, are you okay?"

The others halted in their conversation and looked to her. That was when she blacked out.

"Mei mei!" Kento cried in alarm, catching her before she could slam against the hardwood flooring. The young woman was paler now, and a quick hand to her forehead revealed she was feverish.

"Kay?" Rowen queried looking to the Lady Ancient for an answer.

"Has to be exhaustion from her overexerting herself. We were there for almost a month."

The Warrior of Strength was frowning. Kongo gently nudged him in the back of his mind letting him know there was something else. Something else was wrong, there was more to it than what they were seeing.

All of a sudden the bearer of Hardrock noticed his hands were wet and sticky…His eyes were wide, it was blood but where-? The arm warmers. Without thinking he pulled at the strings and removed the nearly soaked garment off.

Sage voiced Kento's thoughts aloud, "_Kami_."

The wound on her wrist was clear and closed over now. There was no sign of hesitation marks at all. The skin just above the red and raw mark was lined with pale scars…This wasn't the first time.

"She," the archer looked dumbfounded, "While she was away?" It didn't come out quite right, but he was in too much shock. What he was asking was if it were possible she began doing it, when she left them for those few weeks to be by herself.

The Ronin of Wildfire's foresight had been correct after all, but that didn't make it any easier for him to swallow. All he could say in answer to Rowen's question was, "Possibly."

"Dunno," Cye felt ill. He had never noticed a change in her behavior, one that would've revealed what she was doing. Some of the scars further up her arm looked to be _months_ old, if that were true than their coming back couldn't have been a trigger.

Kento said nothing at all as he pulled off the other; the skin on this arm was only partially healed over then in an instant it was completely healed. The Ronin of Hardrock felt the anger in him swell, as an older brother he couldn't believe this.

_'How could she be doing this to herself, why?' _

Sage's face was now neutral though it had taken a good deal to get it that way. Even with that it was still easy to see the emotion in his eyes. His thoughts and feelings looked to be no different than Hardrock's bearer. The blond seemed to flinch when he heard her let out a low moan.

Elayne slowly opened her eyes and tried to blink them clear, "Ugh, that was graceful of me." Though she couldn't see clearly she could already tell something was amiss by the fact the warriors' moods had changed.

Once her vision cleared she looked up at Kento, clearly confused by the angry scowl on his face, "Gege?"

The Warrior of Strength tugged on her arm bringing it in to her sightline, "What the **_hell_** is this?"

The young woman's eyes went wide. Inwardly she cussed out Simoria at seeing her still wounded wrists. She easily wrenched it away from him and snatched back her arm warmers "Give me those!" She was on her feet now and her body protested the sudden movement.

Elayne did what she was trained to do: she ignored it and forced her vision to stop sliding. As she got to her feet so did the Hardrock Ronin, the scowl remained on his face as he stared her down.

He crossed his arms in front of his broad chest, "Well?"

"We can talk when I'm not exhausted," she said in a calm tone of voice, but it wasn't easy for her to do.

She couldn't risk talking to them now, not while she was like _this_. If she didn't try and get some sleep before she spoke, she knew what would happen. It was a risk she didn't want to take, but she should've known better. Nothing ever worked in her favor.

Sage moved in front of the door to block her path, his face now mirroring the look on Kento's, "I don't think so, imouto. We're talking about this now."

"Nii-chan, please just move," Elayne kept her eyes closed and tried to ignore the tone of his voice.

"No."

Her violet eyes snapped open and narrowed, glaring at him with the same gaze he had been using on her all along. Her temper was only barely in check, "Move, or I'll _make_ you move."

"Shuu, Seiji," Rowen fell silent at the glares he received from both but he didn't flinch, "Calm down. Maybe-"

"Shut up and stay out of it," the Warrior of Strength told the archer in a flat voice.

Cye gritted his teeth together. Great, both Sage and Kento were pissed off and that only meant Elayne's anger would be rising. This was going to be ugly to say the least.

"I asked a question, I _want_ an answer."

The Secondary Guardian stopped her staring contest with Sage to glare at Kento from over her shoulder, "Or what?" She hadn't liked the attitude; what both men had unwittingly done was pushed her into a corner and now she was going to defend herself.

"Last time I checked," her voice had become venomous, "My parents were dead a good two-hundred-fifty-years before any of you were even born."

"Imouto-" the blond swordsman's voice held rebuke in it, "Don't-"

"I asked you to back off," she snapped at him, eyes icy, "Now, I'm telling you, _back_ _off._" This was her last desperate attempt to keep her emotions from flying off the handle, but it was no good and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew it was as good as over.

"Not until you tell us when you started butchering your wrists," the bearer of Hardrock flatly commented.

Elayne's hold was gone; his words were the final nail in the coffin, "None of your damn business!"

"It isn't?" Rage lay just beneath the surface as the swordsman spoke, "This isn't a new thing you just picked up on. What happens to you isn't our concern? Like hell it isn't, it is _our_ business. You're-"

"You sure as hell aren't treating me like a sister!" she snarled out eyes flashing, "All you're doing is standing there pointing fingers at me. You're jumping to conclusions when you don't even know what the hell is going on!"

Kento glared at her, "What are was supposed to think? It's not like we haven't been through this before. You said-"

"I _am_ past it," her eyes had started to take on an abnormal look, but the change was so miniscule they failed to notice.

"Are you?" Sage queried with a pained expression on his face; he didn't seem to think so.

"Doubt it," the bearer of Hardrock said, "And if that were true, then you've got no reason to-"

"No **_REASON_**?!" Elayne bellowed as she whirled around and stalked up to him.

She got right up into his face her entire form quaking with rage, "Like my life has been so damn wonderful? Ya, sunshine and roses for the past however millennia I've been stuck at this. Where the **_hell_** have you been, Shuu?"

Hardrock's bearer had backed up into the deck railing, not having been prepared for her to react in that manner. He blinked in surprise as she continued to rant.

"Not only did I lose everything I _ever_ had, I practically sold my soul to the fucking devil- you guys! How could you say that to me? No, how **dare **you say that to me. You were both raised to bushido code, you know better!"

The Ronin of Halo had sensed she was close to decking the Warrior of Strength, and moved to prevent it by gently taking her by the arm from behind. It was the wrong move to make, right now she was far more warrior than 'Elayne' and she reacted accordingly.

Sage ended up with his arm wrenched behind his back and then shoved into Kento…The fifty-plus year old estate railing gave protest to the violent actions and weight being thrust upon it and shattered. Resulting in both men falling to the front lawn a foot below, and in a tangled heap.

"It's my body, I'll do what I want to it!" Her eyes were cold and angry, the inhuman look completely in them now. "Since you two are so intent on suffocating me, smother each other, and _fuck off_!"

She whirled on her heel, ripping open the front door and then slamming it behind her with such force it caused the whole house to shake.

"Bloody hell. That was-" Cye rubbed at the point between his eyebrows.

Rowen shook his head, "Be almost funny if it weren't for the fact she just tore into them."

"Seiji get off," Kento pushed at the Ronin of Halo, who was just as quick to shove him back.

Ryo gave a loose shrug as Torrent and Strata looked to him for his input, "They kind of earned her stabbing, shooting, and chewing them up, before she spit them back out."

"Mate, did not need the mental image," the Water Ronin complained.

Ryo merely smirked.

By that point the Ronin of Halo and that of Hardrock had managed to get back on the porch. Both men stalked towards the front door, fully prepared to go after her- apparently they hadn't had enough yet.

"Oh no," the Ronin of Strata calmly informed the pair, halting their advance quite easily as wind sprang up around them effectively holding them in place.

"Touma, let us go," Kento growled out.

The archer had a bored expression on his face, "Not happening."

"Until you both cool off," Cye announced dousing them with the water he had conjured up- though it was more like _drowning_ them with it.

"Shin!" Sage hissed out eyes narrowed into thin slits.

"Enough," Ryo's stern tone of voice caught all four's attention, halting any words before they were spoken. "Calm down, and tell your armors to back off." He had sensed it. Not that long into, well whatever that had just been, he had felt the armors' pull and one in particular…

Hardrock's bearer seemed to pale, "Inferno?"

"Great," the Water Ronin snorted, "It figures the damn thing would start to act up _now_."

"Ya it does," Wildfire's bearer nodded, eyeing the Earth and Light Ronin for a moment. Satisfied they were back in control he looked to the archer, "Let 'em go, Ro."

The blue-haired man gave a nod and released his elemental hold, before saying, "The armors mighta fueled it. But there was an underlying issue, wasn't there? What did you mean been through it 'before?'"

Sage and Kento exchanged looks, and Hardrock's bearer rubbed at the back of his neck saying, "Second main lifetime I guess-"

"And?" the Water Ronin queried with an arched eyebrow when Kento didn't finish.

"Universe was basically self-mutilating, we got her to stop," the swordsman uncomfortably shifted, "She said she wouldn't anymore."

The bearer of Wildfire knew then and there that the apparent mutilation as punishment was a lie. Elayne wasn't that type of person for one thing; she wouldn't inflict damage on herself as punishment she would simply take whatever was thrown at her. For another, Universe never broke her word. Something else was going on.

"Do yourselves favors, and stay away from her. She might have more sense and kill you next time," the Ronin Leader told them as he headed into the house.

"Yet he's gonna go try and pacify her?" the archer commented with a raised eyebrow.

"Sacrificial moron," the four of them stated in one voice, but instead of irking Ryo like they had hoped, it backfired.

"Nah, she loves me," Ryo cheekily stated, adding, "Rough sex appeals to her."

"UGH, did not need to hear that!" came the bellowed response, and then a loud 'what' came from Kento and Sage.

Wildfire's bearer simply permitted himself a maniacal cackle as he vanished deeper into the house.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen:**

The young woman slammed the door to her room ignoring the hinges violent protest. Her violet eyes had lost some of the menacing look in them as she turned to glower at the jewel around her neck.

"How _dare_ you!" Elayne was enraged, "You set me up for that, you bitch."

'_Hime_,' Simoria's voice sounded as though she were forcing herself to be patient, _'You won't tell them anything, what am I supposed to do? Watch you continually destroy yourself for a hopeless cause?'_

"It's not anymore of your concern than it is theirs Simoria," she snarled out, ripping the chain from her neck and holding the flashing crystal in her palm. "You know the powers I was gifted are evaporating and I've got absolutely NO control over the clan power. So how could you do that to me? Why?"

_'You won't tell them a damn thing, what else can I do? I promised your parents-'_

"You're doing a shitty job protecting me!" the young woman gritted out, "My mother permitted you sanctuary in this galaxy after Akemliek almost killed you. You've been hiding with this jewel ever since. Keep it up though, and I'll tell Akemliek _exactly_ where you are."

Simoria gave an indignant scoff, _'You're a horrible liar. You won't do that. I know you quite well now, almost as if you were own my daughter. You're too much of a noble sort to do it. It's why you're still trying to save __**them**__ isn't it?'_

"You know what?" Elayne sneered as she proceeded to throw the Cimmerian Crystal out the window. "Try that on for size."

She collapsed to her knees as the pent up anger and frustration continued to build…She couldn't get a handle on it. There seemed to be no way for her to do so.

"Damn it," Elayne swore quickly grabbing the knife from her boot and making a new cut on her wrist. The blood that came out from the wound was so dark a red, no, it was black.

The young woman forced her eyes shut still holding the blade in her hand. She had let the power control her. She had permitted it do exactly what she _didn't_ want it to. Even though she had tried so hard to fight against it, it had been useless. She'd-

"Elayne?"

She was startled into opening her eyes and she moved to discard the blade, but Ryo already had her hands in his.

"Don't," he murmured out as he gently took the blade and laid it aside. He looked at her, "Rush to hide things from me. I'm not here to rant and rave."

The Ronin Leader had teleported into the room only moments before. He had noticed the blood on her wrist and how it was oozing out black. It had taken him by surprise, but he did what he could to not show it now.

"Want to tell me what's going on?" Ryo softly queried, and was quick to add, "You don't _have_ to."

Elayne closed her eyes and went back to leaning against her door for support, "Where do you want me to start? There's a hell of a lot going on." She let out a shaky breath, but answered, "My powers are fueling my anger more and more these days. If I'm tired, I have absolutely no way to control it. It's why I wanted to get sleep, because I knew -I can't _believe_ I let myself do that."

"They deserved it," the Ronin Leader commented as he brushed her bangs out of her face, "Even if Inferno did fuel some of it, most of it was them being the overprotective idiots they can be sometimes."

"I know they deserved it, Ry," she sighed out, eyes still closed, "But it doesn't change the fact I had no control over what was going on. I would've told them; they just had to back off…If I don't use my powers, I have to bleed them off."

Ryo looked at her and tilted his head, "Why?"

"They're too strong, and there's no telling what I'd do if they ever got complete control of me," her eyes opened now, a pained expression in them. "Look what happened when they had minimal control! I just-I don't…"

The Ronin of Wildfire had wrapped his arms around her in a hug, "It's all right. Calm down, don't let yourself get so worked up over it."

"Not that easy," she mumbled out, though she did relax some.

"We knew there'd be consequences for you accepting your place as member of the Great Council," he murmured, "It's the clan's power, right?" He wasn't surprised when she merely nodded and buried her head into his neck.

"You don't what Elayne? Don't want to end up like Neo?"

He could feel her body tense at mention of the name, and he was grim-faced as he pulled back to look at her, "That's what you're afraid of?"

"Yes," she whispered out, closing her eyes. "Neo-Universe had to have ignored the power and it slowly ate at her defenses turning her in to what she is. But, I can't help but be afraid of the same thing. I _know_ what that power can do Ryo. I could kill any one of you outright if it sinks it's claws in."

"I see," the Wildfire Ronin said. He noticed the blood was coming out red now, and placed a hand over the wound causing it to heal. At her surprised look he smiled, "I remembered a few other things. Anyway, it'll be all right."

He ignored her yelp of protest when he picked her up, as well as the death-glare she leveled, "I think you need that sleep even more now. We've all been through a lot together, haven't we? You're not going to kill us Elayne, it isn't in you. You're _not_ Neo."

"How can you be so sure I won't end up that way?" the young woman asked as he placed her down on the bed.

"We won't let you," the Ronin Leader confidently stated, "It's as simple as that."

Elayne actually permitted herself a laugh, and at his confused look she somehow managed to stop herself from cackling too much, "I…I'm so sorry Ry. But, seriously, it took you guys two times to KILL Talpa, and you have YET to beat Akemliek. Your track record sucks!"

"You _really_ do hate sappy moments, don't you?"

"It ought to be obvious by now," she commented dabbing at her eyes with her thumb. "Haven't I said as much a million times by this point?" She became quiet a moment, and then rolled over so her back was to him, "Thanks though, Rekka-kun. I appreciate it."

"Coulda fooled me," Wildfire's bearer teased and he smiled, "You're welcome."

He could tell that she was starting to doze off, but there was still one question on his mind…And he found himself asking it, "Elayne, why does your blood run black?"

The young woman let out a shaky breath, "I never told you in the past-I should have." She forced herself to roll back over and face him when she spoke, "Ryo, I'm only half-human. I'm hanyou."

* * *

Sekhmet calmly walked down the street, paying the people around him little mind. The Fall Seasonal was currently preoccupied with his own thoughts as he made his way to the restaurant where he was meeting up with Hotaru.

Kayura had already mentally relayed to him the information that Riynd was indeed here in this time. It was now his job to bring the Outer Senshi up to speed on the matter, since he'd been going to meet them anyway. Well, meet Hotaru, anyway. Amara and Michelle tended to follow her around, the girl's "self-appointed" parents he supposed you could call them.

The man shook his green head and let out a sigh, well it could be worse at least they happened to like him. The Outer Senshi and Seasonal armor bearers got along the easiest because they were so similar in thought. They knew the harsh truths of war, and that with war sometimes personal sacrifices had to be made for the greater good.

The Inner Senshi were still far too naïve in both groups opinions to understand that concept, though Sekhmet would give credit to the Ronin Elementals, _they_ had it figured out. He shook his head again deciding it was best to just try and stay on one topic.

Something about his conversation with the Lady Ancient had bothered him, she had seemed unusually upset. When he had asked her what was wrong all she had done was brush his concerns aside.

That didn't sit well with him. Kayura very rarely got upset, and when she was distraught there was a very good reason for it. For her to not tell him what it was bothered him a great deal. She normally told him everything on her mind. Being the youngest of the group, they had formed a close bond…Well as close as it could get with their starkly different personalities.

Still, he didn't like knowing she was upset about something. He also disliked knowing she wasn't telling him something that could be important.

"Naaza!"

He came out of his thoughts and waved to the black-haired Senshi a smile on his face, "Hotaru." He paused and looked around, "Where's the chaperones at?"

"Oi," she gave a huff and rolled her amethyst eyes, "They're at a booth already. Just ignore them, okay? I'll wring their necks if they start teasing, fair enough?" She gave him a sweet smile.

Sekhmet found himself chuckling, "You should stop hanging out with your nee-san so much. You're starting to sound just like her."

"Oh?" Hotaru queried looking over her shoulder at him. "You know, there are worse things then sounding like Elayne-nee-san. I could act like her all the time, too. Then you'd be sunk."

"I think we'd all be in trouble then," Amara commented with an amused grin, "One of her is the universe's limit, you know?"

Hotaru stuck her tongue out at the blonde, "I don't see why, there's nothing wrong with her. You guys make her out to be so horrible, she's always been nothing but nice to me."

"Hotaru-chan she's always fawned over you," the Senshi of Neptune laughed, "The rest of us had to earn her respect, and yet you she's treated like her little sister all along."

"They could be," Sekhmet remarked with a shrug of his shoulders, gaining the other three's apt attention. "Well think about it this way, they have the same hair color, Hotaru's eyes are merely darker, and they both have the ability to heal, themselves and others."

The Senshi of Uranus shook her head, "Nah, that's okay. Too creepy to think about; it's bad enough Elayne and Sage are related. I don't want to entertain the thought that she and Hotaru are; no offense Hotaru-chan."

"None taken, you're just scared of what we'd do to you," the youngest of the Senshi smirked. "Elayne's always been my nee-san, and that's the way it'll stay. It doesn't matter if we're blood-related or not."

"True enough," Michelle smiled and leaned back in the seat, "We took the liberty of ordering for you, we've gone out together enough to know by now."

"Thank-you," the green-haired Seasonal gave an inclination of his head, and then looked around to see if anyone was close by. "It's just as well; I've news to share with you."

Amara had been looking around the small restaurant but now her attention was on the man, "What is it?"

Sekhmet waited until a waiter moved further out of ear-shot, leaned forward and murmured, "We've got more trouble. Riynd's here. She most likely came to this past when we were getting our memories back."

"Otherwise Trista would've noticed," Hotaru murmured, "And if neither she nor Nee-san noticed, then it had to be then."

Michelle was frowning, "So the question is where has she been?"

"Akemliek's domain," the Seasonal of Fall answered, grim-faced, "It certainly explains why he's done nothing. Riynd, as I was told, is his blood relative. They've most likely been planning all this time. But why they're waiting to execute, we don't know."

"Amara…You don't think?" the Senshi of Neptune looked to the blonde who gave a solemn nod.

"Yes, I do. It makes the most sense."

"Damn," the blue-haired woman muttered out with a frown.

Sekhmet blinked and raised an eyebrow, "Something you want to share?"

Hotaru placed a hand on his arm feeling a flicker of anger in him, "If they wait long enough, they can do irreparable damage to this time and the future all at once. Pluto's noticed more twists and bends in time, if they wait to strike at an exact moment when the twist overlaps this time and the future there will be nothing she can do to stop it."

"That's not all, is there?" the green-haired man queried, "Something else is wrong, correct?"

"Pluto's powers have been getting weaker," the Senshi of Neptune sighed through her nose. "We figure it's because of the time twists."

"My powers are weaker than before too," the black-haired teen commented with a sigh. "We haven't even fought that much, but I can tell they're weakening."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Over a month," she sheepishly admitted.

"Hotaru!" the three protested.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she said rubbing at the back of her neck, "I know I should've said something sooner, but it really didn't strike me as being relevant. Till now."

"Great. And what I could get from Kayura there's something wrong with Elayne too," the man groused as he sighed through his nose. "She wouldn't tell me anything, but I overheard something from the mental line earlier…About her hurting herself."

"Hurting?" Michelle queried looking to Amara who had been largely silent. The Senshi of Neptune shook her head at her solemn faced partner then looked back to Sekhmet querying, "Cutting?"

"All right," the Fall Seasonal's eyes were twitching, "How the hell do you guys know so much? And why do you refuse to share this with anybody?"

Hotaru was glaring at Michelle, "That's what I want to know. What do you mean cutting?!"

"We listen," the blue-haired woman shrugged her shoulders, "And share when we can. It's not what you think Hotaru-chan. That's never been her reason for doing it. She can't feel most forms of pain, remember? But, she is the only one of us in their original body, making her blood extremely powerful because it can channel energy."

"She's using her blood to boost whatever barriers and spells she's employed," the Sailor of Uranus finally spoke, "I overheard Luna talking to Artemis. Elayne's transformation pendant is so old they don't have the capability to replace it like they did with the Inner. The damage that's been done to it is too severe, so they can't fix it either."

The blonde opened her eyes a frown on her face, "Her pendant is starting to give out, meaning the powers she was gifted by the Council are failing. That's why Akemliek and Riynd are waiting; they _know_ what condition Universe is in. They strike at the right time and Pluto can't stop it, Universe will either already be dead, or will die in the process."

"The crack in the transformer is widening every time she makes use of it," Michelle explained, sipping at her drink. The food had come and they had stopped talking for a few minutes until the waiter left. "She has maybe twenty more transformations left, but that's only fighting Raikken. The more energy she exerts, the more strain she is under, the quicker it will break."

"Damn," Sekhmet commented falling silent as he picked at the food on his plate.

Hotaru gave a sigh, "I knew about the pendant damage, but I didn't realize it was her powers failing as well. Even if it is, the clan's power should've helped to lessen that."

"Shit, I forgot she said she was going to disband the council if we died," Amara gritted out, "That makes it worse. If losing the transformer doesn't kill her, using her own power definitely will."

Sekhmet shook his head a little, "You and Universe were close, weren't you? She seems to have told you all an awful lot."

"Next to the Elemental and Seasonal Senshi, she interacted with us the most," Hotaru admitted. "She didn't really get as much time with the Inner."

"Not that she would've wanted it; or that's what she told me, anyway," the Senshi of Neptune commented with a grin.

The Fall Seasonal chuckled, "I don't blame her. Look, keep an eye out you three. I need to go give the others an update, because I know they have no idea about any of this."

Amara gave a nod in understanding, then said, "I'm not surprised. She hasn't really opened up to any of us this time around. She seems dead set on doing it alone, consequences to her own being be damned." The blonde shook her head, "I guess she feels involving us only leads to our deaths."

"It won't matter too much if she's the one that ends up dying," Sekhmet said as he walked off.

"Come on," Hotaru sighed out after he exited the building, then blinked at their smirks, "What?"

"He didn't even kiss you goodbye!"

"Shut UP!"

* * *

_"Ryo, I'm only half-human. I'm hanyou."_

That echoed in his mind, but more so her reaction when he just gave her a bored look, clearly stating, 'so'? He had known for a long time that she was only half-human. He had once overheard Seiji and Shuu talking about it; the ones Universe considered to be her brothers. The only ones she ever trusted with the full truth about her existence, about who she was and what.

It was a secret he had kept though; he had never asked her about it. Never once had he tried to pry. Ryo felt he had been rewarded for making that smart choice, because she had simply stared at him when he didn't wig out. It was great to see _her_ dumfounded for a change.

Then it had clicked in her head and she had gotten exceedingly annoyed with him for never saying anything. He had explained his reasons and she had simply accepted it. The Wildfire Ronin knew it was only because she was too tired to make a fuss.

Otherwise, she would've argued with him for over an hour. So he was thankful she had simply accepted it and fallen asleep. He hadn't left the room; call him a creep or borderline stalker, he really didn't care.

Ryo _knew_ better. If he left that room she was going to wake up and find some sort of trouble to get in to. Elayne needed the sleep and he was going to sit here and make sure she got it. Anybody tried to tease him about it…Well, that's what his fire powers were for.

Before finding out about her lineage, part of him had always suspected that she was only partly human, if at all. Almost all of the Senshi had been born on the planets they were guard of. In fact, to his knowledge, Kayura and the Winter Seasonal Senshi were the only ones that were actually human and had been born on Earth.

With so many of them born elsewhere it had only made sense to him that it was the same with Universe. Then he had found out, his assumptions were only partially correct…She had been born on Earth in a manner of speaking, but only one parent had fallen under the 'human' classification.

He sighed through his nose, looking up when the Fall Seasonal teleported into the room, "Hey Sekhmet. I take it Dais told you what transpired?" Wildfire's bearer had sensed the Summer Seasonal lurking around during the altercation that had taken place on the porch.

"Yes," the words came out in nearly a hiss, a scowl marring his features. "They'll be lucky I don't kill them both! How could they forget, she told them." He then realized who he was talking to, "Ah, that is-"

"Yeah, they both know she's only half-human. I guess they weren't thinking about it when they saw the damage on her arms. And I also think, no one realized just how bad it'd be when she accepted the clan power on top of everything else we left her to deal with."

"Well, at least she told you finally," the green-haired man commented, "Took her long enough; though I assume you've known about it for a while. You wouldn't still be here otherwise."

"Read into it all you want, viper," Ryo said in a bored tone, "But I know she'll go get into a mess unless someone stays here and makes sure she doesn't leave."

"Good point. At any rate, there are some things you need to know. Then you need to tell everyone else here about it. I think our future might actually depend on it."

The Wildfire Ronin immediately became solemn-face, "All right, go ahead."

…Sekhmet told him everything he had learned from the Outer Senshi. Whether or not it would help them in the near future remained to be seen.

* * *

_A/N: And so you have the second longest kept secret since TGOL's original inception: Elayne's not completely human. The longest kept secret would be her actual origin. Am I ever going to give that one away? Perhaps, or maybe I have given it to you already and you simply haven't realized it ;) I will admit I had planned to keep this out of TGOL completely, but I found it necessary to explain some of her attitude/disposition outbursts (and that it was past due in some parts). In between the crystal and her blood, she just can't win.  
Till the next time!_

_-LG_


End file.
